[Myoelectric gastric activity using cutaneous electrogastrography--electrogastrogram].

Cutaneous electrogastrography was performed in nine healthy volunteers and in 43 patients presenting with various clinical conditions known to be associated with gastric motor disorders, including: 24 with functional dyspepsia, nine with longstanding diabetes mellitus, five with recent nausea/vomiting, three with pyloric stenosis, one with post-vagotomy gastroparesis, and one with idiopathic gastric distension and atony. The electrogastrography signal was recorded during 1h pre-prandial period and 1h after eating. The electrogastrography dominant frequency and power were determined using running spectral frequency analysis and the time-course of electrogastrography was evaluated in a pseudo three dimensional graphic. The electrogastrography dominant frequency was divided into four bands: 1. Bradygastria (0-2.4 cpm); 2. Normal (2.4-3.9 cpm); 3. Tachygastria (4.0-9.9 cpm); 4. Duod-resp (10.0-15.0 cpm). The percentage of the dominant electrogastrography power into those four frequency bands was determined. Electrogastrography was considered normal if functional dyspepsia was normal in more than 65% of the time. The electrogastrography was normal (dominant frequency into 3 cpm range in > 65%) in: 9/9 healthy volunteers, 3/3 pyloric stenosis, 4/5 nausea/vomiting, 3/9 diabetes mellitus, 13/24 functional dyspepsia. Gastric dysrhythmias were present in > 35% of the electrogastrography recording in: 1/5 nausea/vomiting, 11/24 functional dyspepsia, 6/9 diabetes mellitus, 1/1 post-vagotomy gastroparesis, 1/1 gastric distension and atony. Persistent tachygastria (> 10%) was found in: 1/1 gastric distension and atony (90% electrogastrography), 1/1 post-vagotomy gastroparesis, 1/5 nausea/vomiting, 6/9 diabetes mellitus, 6/24 functional dyspepsia. It was concluded that electrogastrography is a non-invasive, well-tolerated, reliable means of recording gastric myoelectric activity and gastric dysrhythmias. Patients presenting with gastric motor disorders, with chronic dyspeptic symptoms, or acute nausea may present transitory or persistent gastric dysrhythmias.