UNLABELLED
The study was designed to determine normative values of an electrogastrogram in healthy children.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Surface electrogastrograms were taken in the interdigestive state and after meal stimulation in 292 non-obese children in whom Helicobacter pylori infection was excluded with the use of a 13C-urea breath test. The cohort comprised the following subgroups: age 6-9 years--114 children (57 girls and 57 boys), age 10-11 years--88 children (44 girls and 44 boys), age 12-15 years--90 children (45 girls and 45 boys). Yoghurt was chosen as a test meal: 150 g (142 kcal) was given to children aged < or = 11 years, whereas children older than 11 years received 300 g (284 kcal).
RESULTS
Similarly to formerly published studies the parameters describing quantitatively the gastric myoelectrical activity exhibited considerable between-subject variability. A slight but statistically significant decrease in the dominant frequency was found with increasing age of the children. The subgroup of girls aged 12-15 years had statistically lower postprandial rise in the dominant power when compared to any of the other five subgroups.
CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained imply a necessity of considering peculiarities related to age and gender when an electrogastrogram is performed in children. Taking into account the disclosed substantial between-subject variability of the electrogastrographic parameters in children caution is recommended while interpreting a result of an electrogastrographic examination.