Gastric emptying and dyspeptic symptoms in patients with nonautoimmune fundic atrophic gastritis

Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between gastric emptying and demog raphic, clinical, histological, and secretory features in patients with non autoimmune fundic atrophic gastritis. Only 31% of 45 patients with fundic a trophic gastritis presented with achlorhydria. Scintigraphic gastric emptyi ng of solids was delayed compared to healthy controls. Patients with achlor hydria showed gastric emptying rates lower than those with preserved acid s ecretion. Significant, but weak, correlations were observed between emptyin g rates and both peak acid output (Rs = 0.33) and serum gastrin levels (Rs = -0.36), but not with grading of mucosal atrophy. No symptom differences w ere observed between patients with or without achlorhydria, but a weak corr elation was detected between peak acid output and the severity of epigastri c pain (Rs = 0.40). In conclusion, patients with fundic atrophic gastritis present delayed gastric emptying that is weakly related to the reduction of the acid secretion and the raising of serum gastrin levels rather than to the severity of the atrophy.