Table 2

Characteristics of patients who had normal or delayed gastric emptying on 13C-octanoic acid breath test


Delayed gastric emptying (n = 79)
Normal gastric emptying (n = 53)

Age (years)
57.8 ± 2.2a
52.2 ± 2.0
Gender (male/female)
58:21
37:16
Body mass index (kg/m2)
27.1 ± 0.8
27.9 ± 0.9
Days in ICU prior to study
7.3 ± 0.6
7.4 ± 0.7
APACHE II score


     Admission
24.6 ± 0.6
22.9 ± 0.7
     Study day
17.4 ± 0.4
17.8 ± 0.9
Enteral feeding rate (ml/hour)


     Prior to breath testing
44 ± 4a
61 ± 5
     After breath testing
55 ± 4a
60 ± 4
Blood glucose level (mmol/l)


     Admission
9.7 ± 0.9b
7.8 ± 0.2
     Study day
8.5 ± 0.5
7.7 ± 0.3
Biochemistry


     Albumin (g/l)
23.8 ± 0.6
23.3 ± 0.9
     Bilirubin (μmol/l)
24.2 ± 4.0a
12.0 ± 1.5
     White cell count (× 109/l)
12.3 ± 0.6
13.1 ± 0.7
     Serum creatinine (mmol/l)
0.148 ± 0.02
0.113 ± 0.01
Medications, % (n)


     Opioid ± benzodiazepine
87% (67)
81% (43)
     Propofol
63% (50)
57% (30)
     Inotropes
66% (52)
73% (39)
Mechanical ventilation


     SIMV/pressure support (n)
49:30a
25:28
     Fraction of inspired oxygen
0.49 ± 0.02
0.46 ± 0.02
     Positive end-expiratory pressure (cm H2O)
6.4 ± 0.4
6.8 ± 0.4
     Peak inspiratory pressure (cm H2O)
24.6 ± 1.0
24.2 ± 1.2
Length of stay (days)


     In ICU
21.0 ± 1.6b
13.8 ± 1.2
     In hospital
37 ± 2b
28 ± 3

aP < 0.05, versus normal gastric emptying. bP < 0.01, versus normal gastric emptying. APACHE II, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II; ICU, intensive care unit; SIMV, synchronised intermittent mandatory ventilation.

Nguyen et al. Critical Care 2007 11:R16   doi:10.1186/cc5685