Patterns of gastric myoelectrical activity in human subjects with
different ages.
Chen, J. D. Z., E. Co, J. Liang, J. Pan, J. Sutphen, R. B. Torres
-Pinedo, and W. C. Orr.
Lynn Institute for Healthcare Research, INTEGRIS Baptist Medical
Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, University of Virginia Health
Science Center, Charlottesville, Virginia
APStracts 3:0256G, 1996.
The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental change of
gastric myoelectrical activity in humans. Five groups of healthy
subjects were studied, including ten pre-term newborns, eight full
-term newborns, eight full-term infants at the age of 2-6 months, nine
children at the age of 4-11 years, and nine adults. Gastric
myoelectrical activity was recorded using surface electrogastrography
for 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after a test meal in each
subject. Spectral analysis methods were applied to compute the
parameters of the electrogastrogram (EGG), including the dominant
frequency and power of the EGG and the percentage of the normal
gastric slow waves in each recording period. The results showed that:
1) there was an absence of normal gastric slow waves in both pre-term
and full-term newborns at birth. The percentage of the 2-4 cycles per
minute (cpm) slow waves was 26.6 +/- 3.9% in pre-term newborns and
30.0 +/- 4.0% in the full-term newborns. 2) in comparison with the
newborns, the infant group of 2-6 months showed a significantly
higher percentage of normal gastric slow waves. The 2-4 cpm slow wave
was 70.0 +/- 6.1%, and the dominant frequency was 3.1 +/- 0.08 cpm.
3) the EGG in the children group showed a higher percentage of
regular gastric slow waves than in the infant and newborn groups. The
percentage of the 2-4 cpm slow wave was 84.6 +/- 3.2% in the fasting
state, which was not changed by the test meal. The dominant frequency
was 2.9 +/- 0.08 cpm in the fasting state and increased to 3.16 +/-
0.05 cpm in the fed state (p<0.03). A significant increase in the
power of the EGG at 3 cpm was observed after the test meal (33.5 +/-
1.6 dB v 38.1 +/- 1.4 dB, p<0.01). 4) the characteristics of the
EGG obtained in the adult group were similar to those in the children
group. The percentage of the 2-4 cpm slow wave was 88.9 +/- 2.2% in
the fasting state which was not changed by the test meal. The
dominant frequency of the EGG was 2.85 +/- 0.06 cpm in the fasting
state and increased to 3.09 +/- 0.09 cpm after the test meal
(p<0.02). About 3 dB increase in the power of the EGG at 3 cpm was
observed after the test meal (p=0.06). In conclusion, gastric slow
waves are absent at birth, and there is a maturing process after
birth. Age-matched controls are necessary for the interpretation of
EGG data from neonates and infants, whereas the EGG in children is
the same as in adults.
Received 17 April 1996; accepted in final form 15 November 1996.
APS Manuscript Number G137-6.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Gastrointest. Liver
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 31 December 1996