Diagnosis and treatment of gastroparesis

  The pathogenesis of functional dyspepsia is complex, and current studies suggest that it mainly includes the following aspects: 1, motor dysfunction, motor dysfunction is the main pathogenesis basis of FD, about 40% of FD patients have delayed gastric emptying.  2, visceral hypersensitivity. Visceral hypersensitivity refers to the phenomenon of reduced threshold for causing visceral pain or discomfort stimuli, visceral discomfort to physiological stimuli or strong response to injurious stimuli. the severity of discomfort to gastric dilation stimuli is significantly higher in FD patients than in healthy controls.  The brain-gut axis and FD are closely related to the occurrence of FD: the enteric nervous system (ENS) and the cerebral nervous system (CNS) integrate and translate uploaded sensory information, produce visceral pain, influence autonomic and parasympathetic efferents, and control and coordinate the function of the digestive tract together with the ENS. The brain-gut axis can be bidirectional afferent, linking the emotional and cognitive centers of the brain with peripheral gastrointestinal tract function.  4. Related to mental and psychological factors. Due to the abnormal regulation of the brain-gut axis in FD patients, when emotions and mental states act on the body as stress factors, the brain’s response to stress stimuli can be transmitted to the visceral system through the brain-gut axis, causing abnormalities in gastrointestinal motility and sensation.  The current treatment strategy of FD mainly includes: 1, adjusting gastrointestinal power: patients with dyspepsia symptoms after meals, mostly suggest that patients with gastric emptying delayed gastrointestinal power abnormalities, can choose prokinetic agents for treatment. 2009, a questionnaire survey of dyspepsia symptoms organized by the Digestive Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Association showed that the treatment of dyspepsia drugs are still mainly prokinetic drugs, followed by PPI and gastric mucosal protective agents. Among the prokinetic drugs, domperidone (85.92%) was the most chosen, followed by mosapride and etopride. Domperidone is a dopamine receptor blocker, and its main effect is to promote gastric emptying.  2.Acid suppression therapy: For patients who show gastric hypersensitivity, acid suppressants can be considered in the treatment, commonly used drugs are PPI, H2 receptor antagonists, etc.  3, gastric mucosal protection: commonly used gastric mucosal protective agents include aluminum thioglycollate, tiopresidone, magnesium aluminum carbonate, etc.  4.Hp eradication therapy: It is controversial whether Hp eradication therapy should be given to patients with FD. Hp eradication therapy can be considered for FD patients with positive Hp infection under careful assessment of patient benefits and risks.  5. Antidepressant or anxiety treatment: FD patients with psychiatric and psychological disorders are often in a depressed or anxious state, and antidepressant or anxiolytic drugs can be chosen.  Commonly used drugs for the treatment of gastroparesis include: antiemetics (5-HT3 receptor antagonists, dopamine antagonists, antihistamines, and cannabinoids), prokinetics (dopamine antagonists and 5-HT4 agonists), and non-narcotic pain-relieving drugs. Treatment of patients with gastroparesis who do not respond to medications should focus on maintaining adequate hydration (including electrolytes, acid-base balance, and nutrition), controlling blood glucose in diabetic patients, relieving symptoms, avoiding influencing factors (e.g., narcotics, uncontrolled diabetes), and improving gastric function.  Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) therapy uses high-frequency, low-energy electrical currents to stimulate the gastric nerves and relieve the symptoms of gastroparesis.  Finally, surgical interventions (e.g. subtotal gastrectomy, gastrojejunostomy) are only indicated for patients with gastroparesis who do not respond to more conservative treatments. Patients who are carefully selected (for surgery) are likely to benefit and will experience symptom relief and improved quality of life. However, the risks and benefits of these procedures must be weighed individually.