For a study, researchers sought to examine the frequency of vomiting and stomach dysmotility in dysphagic children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Additionally, it looked into any associations between these findings, the severity of the dysphagia, and the use of tube feeding. Dysphagia was assessed in 46 CZS patients, along with vomiting frequency, food volume tolerance of 15 mL/kg, and eating length each meal of greater than 30 minutes. The antral areas were evaluated by gastric antrum ultrasonography (at fasting and 15 minutes postprandial), and the frequency of contractions was used to calculate the gastric emptying rate (GER). The results of the antral ultrasonography were compared with those of the ten healthy controls. The vomiting and gastric motility were then compared between patients with CZS according to the severity of dysphagia and the requirement for tube feeding. The study found that 76% (35/46) of children with CZS had moderate-to-severe dysphagia (MSD), among whom 60% (21/35) were tube fed [MSD tube fed (MSDTF)]. Vomiting occurred in 54% (25/46) of children, whereas dietary volume intolerance and prolonged feeding time were observed in 59% (27/46) and 37% (17/46), respectively, most frequently in MSDTF patients. On ultrasound, 28 of the 46 children with CZS (or 61%) lacked antral contractions. This was contrasted with controls, who made up 90% (9/10) of the sample. GER was eight times lower in CZS children and 60 times lower in MSDTF kids. Vomiting, volume intolerance, and prolonged feeding times were common in dysphagic children with CZS and may have been linked to poor antral contraction and delayed stomach emptying, particularly in cases of severe dysphagia and tube feeding.
Source: journals.lww.com/jpgn/Abstract/2022/08000/Vomiting_and_Gastric_Motility_in_Early_Brain.10.aspx
