Gastric emptying of solids is delayed in celiac disease and normalizes after gluten withdrawal

Several gastrointestinal motor abnormalities have been detected in patients with celiac disease, but it is unclear whether they are able to influence the gastric emptying rate. The aim of this work was to evaluate the gastric emptying rate of solids in children with celiac disease before and after a gluten-free diet. Nine children with celiac disease and nine healthy contr ols (age range 4-16 y) underwent a C-13-octanoic acid breath test to measur e gastric emptying. Half emptying time (t(1/2)) and lag phase (t(lag)) were calculated. After 6 mo of a gluten-free diet, all celiac children underwen t a repeat C-octanoic acid breath test, The gastric motility parameters, t( 1/2) and tlag. were significantly longer in patients than in controls. No s ignificant correlation between abnormal gastric emptying and specific sympt om patterns or severity of histological damage was found. On a gluten-free diet, the gastric emptying rate normalized in all celiac patients. This fin ding supports the hypothesis that gluten-driven mucosal inflammation might determine motor abnormalities by affecting smooth muscle contractility or i mpairing the release of neurotransmitters. Alternatively, nutrient malabsor ption might determine significant changes in intraluminal milieu, which, in turn, may affect intestinal motor functions. Conclusion: patients affected by celiac disease have a markedly delayed gas tric emptying of solids, which returns to normal after gluten withdrawal.