Effect of Abdominal Wall Activity on the Responses to Meal Ingestion

Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron Research Institute16 enrolled

Overview

Meal ingestion induces sensations that are influenced by a series of conditioning factors. Aim: to determine the effect of abdominal wall activity on the responses to a standard probe meal. Study in healthy subjects comparing postprandial digestive sensations (abdominal bloating and digestive well-being) during consecutive maneuvers of diaphragmatic contraction (i.e. descent) versus diaphragmatic relaxation (i.e. ascent) in a cross-over randomized design. Primary outcome: effect of somatic maneuvers on abdominal bloating sensation; secondary aim: effect on digestive well-being. Participants (16 women) will be instructed to eat a standard dinner the day before, to consume a standard breakfast at home after overnight fast, and to report to the laboratory, where the test meal will be administered 4 h after breakfast. Studies will be conducted in a quiet, isolated room. Participants will be taught to produce diaphragmatic contraction and visible abdominal distention. A probe meal up to maximal satiation will be administered to induce abdominal fullness/bloating sensation; immediately after ingestion, bloating sensation (from 0 to 10) and digestive well-being (from -5 to +5) will be scored during 8 alternating episodes (30 s each) in random sequence of diaphragmatic contraction (abdominal distension) versus diaphragmatic relaxation.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Healthy

Diaphragmatic contractionBEHAVIORAL

Sequential periods (30 s) of voluntary diaphragmatic contraction after meal ingestion

Diaphagmatic relaxationBEHAVIORAL

Sequential periods (30 s) of voluntary diaphragmatic relaxation after meal ingestion

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 70 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * non-obese Exclusion Criteria: * history of gastrointestinal symptoms * prior obesity * use of medications * history of anosmia and ageusia * current dieting * alcohol abuse * psychological disorders * eating disorders

Locations (1)

Hospital Vall d'Hebron

Barcelona, Spain

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Changes in abdominal fullness/bloating sensation induced by the probe meal

Effect of abdominal wall activity on abdominal fullness/bloating \[measured by 10 cm scale graded from 0 (not at all) to 10 (very much)\]

Time frame: 10 min

Secondary Outcomes

Changes in digestive well-being sensation induced by the probe meal

Effect of abdominal wall activity on digestive well-being \[measured by 10 cm scale graded from -5 (extremely unpleasant sensation) to +5 (extremely unpleasant extremely pleasant sensation)\]