While widely used in research, the 1991 Rome criteria for the gastroduodenal disorders, especially symptom subgroups in dyspepsia, remain contentious. After a comprehensive literature search, a consensus-based approach was applied, supplemented by input from international experts who reviewed the report. Three functional gastroduodenal disorders are defined. Functional dyspepsia is persistent or recurrent pain or discomfort centered in the upper abdomen; evidence of organic disease likely to explain the symptoms is absent, including at upper endoscopy. Discomfort refers to a subjective, negative feeling that may be characterized by or associated with a number of non-painful symptoms including upper abdominal fullness, early satiety, bloating, or nausea. A dyspepsia subgroup classification is proposed for research purposes, based on the predominant (most bothersome) symptom: (a) ulcer-like dyspepsia when pain (from mild to severe) is the predominant symptom, and (b) dysmotility-like dyspepsia when discomfort (not pain) is the predominant symptom. This classification is supported by recent evidence suggesting that predominant symptoms, but not symptom clusters, identify subgroups with distinct underlying pathophysiological disturbances and responses to treatment. Aerophagia is an unusual complaint characterized by air swallowing that is objectively observed and troublesome repetitive belching. Functional vomiting refers to frequent episodes of recurrent vomiting that is not self-induced nor medication induced, and occurs in the absence of eating disorders, major psychiatric diseases, abnormalities in the gut or central nervous system, or metabolic diseases that can explain the symptom. The current classification requires careful validation but the criteria should be of value in future research. (Gut 1999;45(Suppl II):II37-II42)

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Background: Increased numbers of mast cells and mast cell activation in distal gut segments are associated with symptom onset and severity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Although upper gut symptoms are common, mast cells have not been thoroughly evaluated in proximal gut in IBS patients.

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SUMMARY We report the clinical and intestinal manometric findings in a group of 42 patients with chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction evaluated at the Mayo Clinic. The main clinical manifestations in these patients were nausea and vomiting (83%), abdominal pain (74%), distension (57%), constipation (36%), diarrhoea (29%), and urinary symptoms (17%). These symptoms preceded surgery in all patients. Air fluid levels or distended bowel loops occurred in 57% and a dilated bladder or urinary excretory pathway in 17%. All patients showed intestinal manometric abnormalities none of which are seen in healthy individuals: (a) aberrant configuration or propagation of interdigestive motor complexes in 25 patients; (b) bursts (>2 min duration) of non-propagated phasic pressure activity in fasting and/or fed state in 30 patients; (c) sustained incoordinated fasting pressure activity in 15 patients; and (d) inability of an ingested meal to convert fasting into fed pattern in 28 patients. We conclude that qualitative analysis of intestinal manometry provides evidence of gut dysmotility in patients with the clinical syndrome of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction. These abnormalities of motility can help to establish the correct diagnosis.

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SUMMARY BackgroundInulin and oligofructose promote selective growth of saccharolytic bacteria with low inflammatory potential.

ObjectiveTo characterise the influence of diet on abdominal symptoms, anal gas evacuation, intestinal gas distribution and colonic microbiota in patients complaining of flatulence.DesignPatients complaining of flatulence (n=30) and healthy subjects (n=20) were instructed to follow their usual diet for 3 days (basal phase) and to consume a high-flatulogenic diet for another 3 days (challenge phase).ResultsDuring basal phase, patients recorded more abdominal symptoms than healthy subjects in daily questionnaires (5.8±0.3 vs 0.4±0.2 mean discomfort/pain score, respectively; p=<0.0001) and more gas evacuations by an event marker (21.9±2.8 vs 7.4±1.0 daytime evacuations, respectively; p=0.0001), without differences in the volume of gas evacuated after a standard meal (262±22 and 265±25 mL, respectively). On flatulogenic diet, both groups recorded more abdominal symptoms (7.9±0.3 and 2.8±0.4 discomfort/pain, respectively), number of gas evacuations (44.4±5.3 and 21.7±2.9 daytime evacuations, respectively) and had more gas production (656±52 and 673±78 mL, respectively; p<0.05 vs basal diet for all). When challenged with flatulogenic diet, patients’ microbiota developed instability in composition, exhibiting variations in the main phyla and reduction of microbial diversity, whereas healthy subjects’ microbiota were stable. Taxa from Bacteroides fragilis or Bilophila wadsworthia correlated with number of gas evacuations or volume of gas evacuated, respectively.ConclusionsPatients complaining of flatulence have a poor tolerance of intestinal gas, which is associated with instability of the microbial ecosystem.