Clinical utility of Gastric Alimetry® in the management of intestinal failure patients with possible underlying gut motility disorders

Summary: Background/Aims: Gut dysmotility is an increasingly common contributor to intestinal failure. However, differentiating true cases of severe dysmotility requiring intensive nutritional support from other causes of symptoms (e.g., gut-brain or visceral hypersensitivity disorders) is clinical...

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Main Authors: Chris Varghese, William Xu, Charlotte Daker, Ian P. Bissett, Chris Cederwall
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-10-01
Series:Clinical Nutrition Open Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667268523000359
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author Chris Varghese
William Xu
Charlotte Daker
Ian P. Bissett
Chris Cederwall
author_facet Chris Varghese
William Xu
Charlotte Daker
Ian P. Bissett
Chris Cederwall
author_sort Chris Varghese
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Background/Aims: Gut dysmotility is an increasingly common contributor to intestinal failure. However, differentiating true cases of severe dysmotility requiring intensive nutritional support from other causes of symptoms (e.g., gut-brain or visceral hypersensitivity disorders) is clinically challenging. Reliable motility tests are not widely accessible and may be non-contributory, while transit studies can be labile and insensitive for neuromuscular pathologies. Methods: Gastric Alimetry® (Alimetry, New Zealand) is a new test of gastric function that was recently shown to define patient subgroups with neuromuscular dysfunction in chronic nausea and vomiting syndromes. Here, we report the first application of Gastric Alimetry to a cohort of adult patients established on PN for a possible GI motility disorder. Results: Ten patients with diagnostic uncertainty were evaluated, nine on PN, one recently weaned due to a line infection. Gastric Alimetry evaluation was found to contribute to management decisions in all 10 cases, with clinical diagnoses being updated in 6/10, primarily to refocus on disorders of gut-brain interaction in subjects with normal tests. Changed management based on test results facilitated successful weaning of PN in 6/9 patients at median 5 months of follow-up, due to effective targeted pharmacological therapy and integrated care. Conclusions: These data support the role of Gastric Alimetry in the work-up of possible intestinal failure patients with suspected motility disorders, with utility in diagnosis and management. Test results facilitated gut rehabilitation, reduced PN dependence, and therefore reduced healthcare costs (estimated at >NZ$100,000 per PN patient per year in nutritional support alone).
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spelling doaj.art-c377bbec48bd427f828ee031a91a12c62023-10-15T04:38:24ZengElsevierClinical Nutrition Open Science2667-26852023-10-01511525Clinical utility of Gastric Alimetry® in the management of intestinal failure patients with possible underlying gut motility disordersChris Varghese0William Xu1Charlotte Daker2Ian P. Bissett3Chris Cederwall4Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Corresponding author. Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, New Zealand.Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandDepartment of Gastroenterology, North Shore Hospital, Auckland, New ZealandDepartment of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Surgery, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New ZealandGastroenterology Department, Wellington Regional Hospital, Wellington, New ZealandSummary: Background/Aims: Gut dysmotility is an increasingly common contributor to intestinal failure. However, differentiating true cases of severe dysmotility requiring intensive nutritional support from other causes of symptoms (e.g., gut-brain or visceral hypersensitivity disorders) is clinically challenging. Reliable motility tests are not widely accessible and may be non-contributory, while transit studies can be labile and insensitive for neuromuscular pathologies. Methods: Gastric Alimetry® (Alimetry, New Zealand) is a new test of gastric function that was recently shown to define patient subgroups with neuromuscular dysfunction in chronic nausea and vomiting syndromes. Here, we report the first application of Gastric Alimetry to a cohort of adult patients established on PN for a possible GI motility disorder. Results: Ten patients with diagnostic uncertainty were evaluated, nine on PN, one recently weaned due to a line infection. Gastric Alimetry evaluation was found to contribute to management decisions in all 10 cases, with clinical diagnoses being updated in 6/10, primarily to refocus on disorders of gut-brain interaction in subjects with normal tests. Changed management based on test results facilitated successful weaning of PN in 6/9 patients at median 5 months of follow-up, due to effective targeted pharmacological therapy and integrated care. Conclusions: These data support the role of Gastric Alimetry in the work-up of possible intestinal failure patients with suspected motility disorders, with utility in diagnosis and management. Test results facilitated gut rehabilitation, reduced PN dependence, and therefore reduced healthcare costs (estimated at >NZ$100,000 per PN patient per year in nutritional support alone).http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667268523000359Intestinal failureParenteral nutritionBody surface gastric mappingEnteral feedingDysmotility
spellingShingle Chris Varghese
William Xu
Charlotte Daker
Ian P. Bissett
Chris Cederwall
Clinical utility of Gastric Alimetry® in the management of intestinal failure patients with possible underlying gut motility disorders
Clinical Nutrition Open Science
Intestinal failure
Parenteral nutrition
Body surface gastric mapping
Enteral feeding
Dysmotility
title Clinical utility of Gastric Alimetry® in the management of intestinal failure patients with possible underlying gut motility disorders
title_full Clinical utility of Gastric Alimetry® in the management of intestinal failure patients with possible underlying gut motility disorders
title_fullStr Clinical utility of Gastric Alimetry® in the management of intestinal failure patients with possible underlying gut motility disorders
title_full_unstemmed Clinical utility of Gastric Alimetry® in the management of intestinal failure patients with possible underlying gut motility disorders
title_short Clinical utility of Gastric Alimetry® in the management of intestinal failure patients with possible underlying gut motility disorders
title_sort clinical utility of gastric alimetry r in the management of intestinal failure patients with possible underlying gut motility disorders
topic Intestinal failure
Parenteral nutrition
Body surface gastric mapping
Enteral feeding
Dysmotility
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667268523000359
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