Gastric involvement in progressive systemic sclerosis: electrogastrographic and sonographic findings

Objective To determine whether electrogastrography (EGG) can discern sonogr aphically demonstrated motility disorders in patients with progressive syst emic sclerosis (SSc) and to evaluate EGG as a possible diagnostic tool. Design Prospective study with control group and testing for reliability. Subjects 15 SSc patients [women aged 33-70 years (mean 53.3 years)] and 15 healthy volunteers. Methods Bipolar cutaneous EGG was recorded to obtain the following paramete rs: period dominant frequency (PDF), percentage of gastric dysrhythmia and normogastria (defined as 2-4/min), period dominant power (PDP) and its chan ge after a standardized meal of 500 kcal (2093 kJ), and instability coeffic ients of dominant frequency and power (DFIC, DPIC). Simultaneously, realtim e sonography was performed in the aortomesenteric plane (3.5-MHz curved-arr ay probe). In 10 patients and 13 control subjects, the distance from the an terior wall of the gastric antrum to the abdominal skin was measured. Results Three patients (20%) showed hypomotility of the gastric antrum sono graphically. The percentage of bradygastria was significantly lower in thes e patients, but the PDF, DFIC and DPIC values were not significantly differ ent. The distance between the cutaneous electrodes and the antrum bore a gr eater relationship to the PDP values than did the sonographically demonstra ted number of gastric contractions. Conclusions Although cutaneous EGG can be performed in SSc patients without apparent derangement in frequency and stability of the signal, it offers n o advantage over sonography in diagnosis and follow-up. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 11:1151-1156 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.