Regional gastrointestinal contractility parameters using the wireless motility capsule: inter‐observer reproducibility and influence of age, gender and study country

Summary Background The wireless motility capsule concurrently measures temperature, pH and pressure as it traverses the gastrointestinal tract. Aims To describe normative values for motility/contractility parameters across age, gender and testing centres. Methods Healthy participants underwent a standardised wireless motility capsule assessment following an overnight fast and consumption of a meal of known nutritional content. Traces were divided into regions of interest and analysed using 2 software packages (MotiliGI and GIMS Data Viewer). Inter‐observer agreement was independently assessed by 2 investigators. Results Normative data for motility/contractility parameters (maximum amplitude, mean peak amplitude, contraction frequency and motility index) are presented for 107 individuals (62 male, median age 40 years, range 18‐78). MotiliGI‐Gastric, small bowel and colonic maximal contraction amplitude correlated with age (r = .24, P = .01; r = .22, P = .02; and r = .2, P = .04 respectively). Small bowel motility index was higher in females than males (150.4 ± 12 vs 122 ± 7.6, P = .04). Inter‐observer agreement was excellent for transit times, pH and contractility/motility parameters. GIMS Data viewer‐Gastric, small bowel and colonic loge motility index correlated with the respective area under the contraction curve, total contractions, sum of amplitudes and contraction frequency (all r>.35, P