Latest gastroparesis news, research for health care providers

An estimated 5 million Americans have gastroparesis, according to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders.

Michael Camilleri, MD, and colleagues detailed the management of gastroparesis in guidelines issued by the American College of Gastroenterology.

"Gastroparesis is identified in clinical practice through the recognition of the clinical symptoms and documentation of delayed gastric emptying," they wrote. "Symptoms from gastroparesis include nausea, vomiting, early satiety, postprandial fullness, bloating, and upper abdominal pain. Management of gastroparesis should include assessment and correction of nutritional state, relief of symptoms, improvement of gastric emptying and, in diabetics, glycemic control."

In a statement for the record, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., brought attention to the condition, which can lead to issues in managing blood glucose levels, dehydration and malnutrition.

"While there is no cure for gastroparesis, some treatments, such as dietary measures, medications, procedures to maintain nutrition, and surgery, can help reduce symptoms," she said. "Unfortunately, gastroparesis is a poorly understood condition and so patients often suffer from delayed diagnosis, treatment and management of this disorder. As such, further research and education are needed to improve quality of life for this patient population."

Marking National Gastroparesis Awareness Month, Healio Internal Medicine presents the latest news and research on gastroparesis for physicians.

Relamorelin improves diabetic gastroparesis symptoms

Adults with diabetic gastroparesis experienced accelerated gastric emptying and reduced vomiting with 10 µg of subcutaneous relamorelin administered twice daily, according to phase 2 trial data. Read more.

G-POEM promising minimally invasive treatment for refractory gastroparesis

Mouen A. Khashab, MD, associate professor of medicine and director of therapeutic endoscopy at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, discusses positive results from a study of gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy. Read more.

FDA issues draft guidance on clinical evaluation of gastroparesis drugs

“The purpose of this guidance is to assist sponsors in the clinical development of drugs for the treatment of diabetic and idiopathic gastroparesis,” the FDA wrote in the draft guidance. “Specifically, this guidance addresses the [FDA’s] current thinking regarding clinical trial designs and clinical endpoint assessments to support development of gastroparesis drugs,” for which there is an “urgent medical need.” Read more.

Age, sex, obesity among factors that affect outcomes in gastroparesis

A recent study found that less than a third of patients with gastroparesis had significant symptom relief after treatment, and identified a number of independent predictors of symptom reduction. Read more.

FDA approves breath test for diagnosis of gastroparesis

The FDA today approved the Gastric Emptying Breath Test, or GEBT, a novel noninvasive diagnostic for gastroparesis. Read more.

References:

Camilleri M, et al. Am J Gastroenterol. 2013;doi: 10.1038/ajg.2012.373.

Statement in the Record Recognizing Gastroparesis Awareness Month. International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders website. Accessed August 18, 2016.