Understanding different types of gastroparesis and similar stomach‑emptying problems
Official title: Exploration of Subtypes of Gastroparesis and Gastroparesis-like Symptoms based on Physiological Testing
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11158974 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses stomach muscle and nerve tests plus procedures and medication trials to find distinct types of gastroparesis and help people with chronic upper‑abdominal symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2006 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $271,578 |
| NIH project number | 5U01DK073974-19 |
| Project ID | NIH-11158974 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with diagnosed gastroparesis or ongoing upper‑GI symptoms (including those with normal gastric emptying called functional dyspepsia) who can undergo physiological testing and possible procedures are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People whose symptoms are due to a mechanical obstruction, non‑gastric causes, or who cannot safely undergo the required tests or procedures are unlikely to benefit from participation.
What this research studies
You would join a multicenter consortium that continues a gastroparesis patient registry and adds a new protocol focused on the pylorus. Clinicians will perform physiological tests such as gastric myoelectrical monitoring, measures of stomach accommodation and sensitivity, antral‑pyloric contractility testing, and pyloric distensibility measurements. Some participants may be offered pyloric balloon dilation, others may be randomized to a medication (buspirone) or placebo, and biospecimens may be collected for molecular studies. The aim is to group patients by measurable stomach function so treatments can be better matched to each person.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable more precise diagnoses and tailored treatments—such as medications or pyloric therapies—that reduce nausea, vomiting, and early fullness.
How similar studies have gone: Previous registry efforts and smaller trials of pyloric‑targeted procedures and medications like buspirone have helped some patients but results have been mixed, so larger multicenter data are needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Moshiree, Baharak — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Moshiree, Baharak
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
New England Gastroparesis Consortium: Neurobiology of Gastroparesis
A national project to learn about gastroparesis in children and adults by creating a registry and gathering information from patients to understand symptoms, quality of life, and disease progression.
-
Pediatric and Young Adult Gastroparesis Registry and Disease Course
This project follows children, teens, and young adults with symptoms of gastroparesis to learn how their symptoms change over time and what factors are tied to different disease patterns.
-
Pediatric gastroparesis: building a nationwide patient registry
This grant funds a national registry to study gastroparesis and similar tummy problems in children and teens, with the goal of better understanding how the condition affects their daily lives.
-
Gut-resident macrophages and gastric function in gastroparesis
A study in people with gastroparesis to understand how gut macrophages affect stomach movement and gut barrier health, with the hope of finding new ways to treat the condition.
-
Gastric electrical stimulation for stomach pain in gastroparesis
A new approach tests how adjusting a stomach-stimulating implant may reduce pain for people with gastroparesis.
-
Peptide therapies for gastroparesis in diabetes
A new peptide-based treatment is being tested to help people with gastroparesis linked to diabetes by improving stomach emptying and reducing inflammation.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.