Ghrelin and Gastric Emptying in Children With Functional Dyspepsia

Completed

Conditions studied: Functional Dyspepsia

In brief

The purpose of this research is to see if there are differences between children who have FD and children without FD in the ability of the stomach to empty food and/or in ghrelin hormone levels before and after eating. Chronic abdominal pain is the most common persistent pain condition in children and adolescents. One of the most often diagnosed types of abdominal pain is functional dyspepsia (FD). FD is abdominal pain or discomfort (e.g., nausea, bloating) in the upper abdomen that does not get better by having a bowel movement. One possible explanation for having FD is a delay in the emptying of food from the stomach, or delayed gastric (stomach) emptying. Failing to empty the stomach quickly enough may result in the feeling of being full and cause symptoms of bloating, nausea, vomiting and pain. Further, hormonal changes occur before, during, or after eating food that appear to impact stomach emptying. One of the hormones that changes with meals is called ghrelin. The relationship between ghrelin and stomach emptying needs to be explored more in children with FD. Better understanding of what causes FD symptoms may help us to improve treatment for this condition.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01591174

Run by

Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas City

People needed

30

Starts

2012-05-01

Expected to finish

2016-04-22

Last updated by the study team

2019-05-20

Who can join

Age: 8 and older, up to 17. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• All: Participants 8-17 years of age
• FD arms: Patients identified in CMH/Abdominal Pain Team Clinic with Functional Dyspepsia who meet exclusion criteria.
• Control arm: healthy participants who meet exclusion criteria.

You may not qualify if…

• History of upper gastrointestinal surgery or intestinal obstruction.
• History of disease or symptoms suggestive of underlying malabsorption, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), or Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD).
• History or evidence of chronic illness requiring regular medical care such as diabetes mellitis (DM), liver, heart, kidney, endocrine, or pulmonary disease and asthma that precludes accurate exhalation into the study breath collection apparatus.
• Any patient with body Mass index (BMI) less than or equal to 10th percentile for age; or equal to or greater than 90th percentile for age.
• Patient and/or parent not able to read English.
• Current pregnancy.
• History of milk allergy.
• Prokinetic or psychotropic medications used within the last 72 hour prior to study.
• Inability to exhale into study breath collection apparatus as directed.
• Recent acute illness that occurs prior to study visit.

Where it is running

• Children's Mercy Hospital — Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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