M. Van Den Driessche, “Study of Gastro-Intestinal Motility in Infants and Children Using 13C Breath Tests. Maturation of Gastric Emptying and Orocaecal Transit Time,” Acta Biomedica Lovaniensia 251, Leuven University Press, Leuven, 1991.

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Delayed Gastric Emptying in Anorexic Adolescents Measured with the 13C Octanoic Acid Breath Test

  AUTHORS: Martine K. F. Docx, Kristin Verbeke, Annik Simons, Joost Weyler, José Ramet, Luc Mertens, Gigi Veereman-Wauters

  KEYWORDS: Anorexia Nervosa; Half-Gastric Emptying Time; 13C Octanoic Acid Breath Test; Subjective Severity Symptom Score

  JOURNAL NAME: Food and Nutrition Sciences, Vol.3 No.8, August 8, 2012

  ABSTRACT: Many gastrointestinal complaints and motility disorders are described in patients suffering from different eating disorders. These have a negative impact on refeeding. This report evaluated–on admission-gastric emptying of a standardized solid meal with 13C octanoic acid breath test in anorexic adolescents. The results were compared with age and gender matched controls. Gastric emptying data were related to a subjective symptom score. 21 Anorexic girls and 3 boys (mean age: 15.6 y ± 1.3 y), body mass index (mean 15.6 kg/m2 ± 1.6 kg/m2), weight loss (mean: 22.2% ± 10.7%) were studied. T? of the gastric emptying time exceeded the P95 in 14/24 (58%) patients, classified as having delayed gastric emptying (DGE). One patient (4%) had a T? exceeding P75 and was classified as slow (SGE), whereas 9/24 (38%) patients had normal gastric emptying (NGE). In comparison to NGE, subjects with DGE had significantly higher symptom scores (p = 0.01) and more weight loss. The DGE and SGE patients lost 25.29% and 21.38% of weight respectively, whereas a weight loss of 17.64% was found in anorexics with NGE. In conclusion, gastric emptying is delayed in patients with anorexia. This is associated with more significant gastrointestinal symptoms and higher weight loss.