Gastric myoelectric activity in patients with end-stage liver disease

Background: Abnormalities of gastrointestinal motility and transit time hav e been reported in association with end-stage liver disease. Motility abnor malities could be routinely studied if a simple noninvasive test were avail able. The electrogastrogram is a cutaneous measure of gastric myoelectric a ctivity and correlates well with serosal recordings of gastric myoelectric activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate gastric myoelectric activit y in patients with end-stage liver disease. Methods: Fourteen patients with end-stage liver disease had gastric myoelectric activity measured with the electrogastrogram. An electrogastrogram was considered abnormal when norma l gastric dow waves were seen less than 70% of the time or there was no inc rease in the electrogastrogram amplitude after a meal. Results: Abnormal el ectrogastrograms were present in 8 of 14 (57%) end-stage liver disease pati ents. Conclusions: Abnormal gastric myoelectric activity is common in end-s tage liver disease.