[Application of electrogastrography in pediatrics. Part I. Definition of normal ranges of parameters of an electrogastrogram in Polish children].

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.