Dr Charles Shepherd reviews new research from Norway into gastrointestinal symptoms in ME/CFS. Read the full research from the link below
Abstract
Background
Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in ME/CFS, but there is a knowledge gap in the literature concerning gastrointestinal motility features and detailed symptom description.
Objective
In this study, we aimed to characterize gastric motility and gastric symptoms in response to a liquid meal.
Methods
We included 20 patients with ME/CFS with abdominal complaints who were recruited to a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of Rituximab. The patients of this sub study were examined with an ultrasound drink test, and gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated using the Rome III questionnaire and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS) questionnaire.
Results
We found that patients commonly reported fullness/bloating (75%), abdominal pain (45%) and nausea (35%). Ultrasound measurements revealed lower proximal measurements of the stomach after a meal (p < 0.01) and larger fasting antral area (p = 0.019) compared to healthy controls. The patients had a stronger symptomatic response to the liquid meal compared to healthy controls regarding epigastric pain, discomfort and nausea (p < 0.05).
Ninety percent of the patients reported bowel movement frequencies within the normal range but scored high on bowel habit dissatisfaction and life disruption.
Conclusion
The patients presented with fullness/bloating, nausea and epigastric pain, showed signs of impaired gastric accommodation and visceral hypersensitivity, showing that the gastrointestinal symptoms of ME/CFS patients are similar to functional dyspepsia.
Key points
1 Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in ME/CFS, but there is a knowledge gap in the literature concerning gastrointestinal motility features and detailed symptom description
2 In this study, patients with ME/CFS had signs of impaired gastric accommodation after a liquid meal.
3 Out of 20 patients, 15 patients reported fullness/bloating, 9 reported abdominal pain, and 7 reported nausea. The patients showed signs of visceral hypersensitivity on a drink test.
4 These findings suggest that patients with ME/CFS share many similarities with patients with Functional Dyspepsia. The findings were not typical for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
The MEA has an information leaflet that covers all aspects or irritable bowel and gastrointestinal symptoms in ME/CFS:
Stomach & Irritable Bowel Symptoms
Dr Charles Shepherd,
Trustee and Hon. Medical Adviser to the ME Association,
Member of the 2018-2021 NICE guideline on ME/CFS committee,
Member of the 2002 Chief Medical Officer's Working Group on ME/CFS
