Gastroparesis
What is gastroparesis?
A 'lazy stomach' – the failure of the stomach to empty as it should – is caused by the muscles of the stomach failing to work properly. They contract too little or too irregularly. As a result, food is left in the stomach for longer than normal. Usually, the cause is unknown. It can also be a side-effect of medication (such as benzodiazepines or medication for Parkinson's disease and high blood pressure), and it may be seen in diabetes, in people with poor renal function, poor thyroid function, and narrowing of the exit from the stomach. Gastroparesis is the delayed emptying of the contents of the stomach in which the cause is not a narrowing.
What are the complaints associated with gastroparesis?
Nausea and sometimes vomiting after meals are common complaints. There is also a feeling of pressure on the stomach, a highly swollen stomach, a bloated feeling, belching and/or burping, feeling full quickly, heartburn, or a painful or burning sensation near the breastbone. Severe gastroparesis may be associated with vomiting.
People with intellectual disabilities sometimes find it impossible to communicate these symptoms. The people around them may then notice only a change in behaviour.
How common is gastroparesis in the general population?
Gastroparesis is more prevalent (5%) in people with type I diabetes than in people with type 2 diabetes (1%) and healthy people (1%).
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Other research found a prevalence rate for gastroparesis of 0.024%. Overall survival was found to be significantly lower than in people without the condition.
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How common is gastroparesis in people with intellectual disabilities?
It is not known how often gastroparesis occurs in people with intellectual disabilities. There are indications that children with spasticity are more likely to have the condition.
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A small survey of children with spasticity found that 67% of the children with both spasticity and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease also had gastroparesis.
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There are also indications that gastroparesis is more common in people with certain syndromes. For example, a study of 13 women with Rett syndrome found that more than two thirds (69%) of them had gastroparesis.
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In addition, the condition should be considered as a side-effect of medication and as a comorbid condition with another physical condition (see above).
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525Bharucha AE. Epidemiology and natural history of gastroparesis. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2015 Mar;44(1):9-19
Bharucha AE. Epidemiology and natural history of gastroparesis. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2015 Mar;44(1):9-19
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213Jung HK, Choung RS, Locke GR 3rd, Schleck CD, Zinsmeister AR, Szarka LA, Mullan B, Talley NJ. The incidence, prevalence, and outcomes of patients with gastroparesis in Olmsted County, Minnesota, from 1996 to 2006. Gastroenterology. 2009 Apr;136(4):1225-33.
Jung HK, Choung RS, Locke GR 3rd, Schleck CD, Zinsmeister AR, Szarka LA, Mullan B, Talley NJ. The incidence, prevalence, and outcomes of patients with gastroparesis in Olmsted County, Minnesota, from 1996 to 2006. Gastroenterology. 2009 Apr;136(4):1225-33.
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214Sullivan PB. Gastrointestinal disorders in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2008;14(2):128-36.
Sullivan PB. Gastrointestinal disorders in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2008;14(2):128-36.
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215Del Giudice E, Staiano A, Capano G, Romano A, Florimonte L, Miele E, Ciarla C, Campanozzi A, Crisanti AF. Gastrointestinal manifestations in children with cerebral palsy. Brain Dev. 1999 Jul;21(5):307-11
Del Giudice E, Staiano A, Capano G, Romano A, Florimonte L, Miele E, Ciarla C, Campanozzi A, Crisanti AF. Gastrointestinal manifestations in children with cerebral palsy. Brain Dev. 1999 Jul;21(5):307-11
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216Motil KJ, Schultz RJ, Browning K, Trautwein L, Glaze DG. Oropharyngeal dysfunction and gastroesophageal dysmotility are present in girls and women with Rett syndrome. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1999 Jul;29(1):31-7.
Motil KJ, Schultz RJ, Browning K, Trautwein L, Glaze DG. Oropharyngeal dysfunction and gastroesophageal dysmotility are present in girls and women with Rett syndrome. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1999 Jul;29(1):31-7.