# University of Louisville’s Clinical Center in Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE · 2020 · $383,920

## Abstract

Gastroparesis is a disorder of gastric function characterized by delay in gastric emptying, frequently associated
with chronic nausea and vomiting, early satiety, postprandial fullness, abdominal pain, and malnutrition that
may require nutritional support. Gastroparesis has a devastating impact on quality of life and predominantly
affects younger women. In the past 5 years, the Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium (GpCRC) has
made a series of important contributions (see below) to improve our understanding of this disorder and
advancing the goals of patients, physicians and the NIH for management of gastroparesis. Yet, much remains
to be learned about its etiology, natural history, treatment strategies, and clinical course, which
is the rationale behind our response to the Continuation of the Gastroparesis Consortium RFA-DK-10-502. The
biggest barrier to effective therapeutic approaches to gastroparesis is our lack of knowledge about either its
pathogenesis or its pathophysiology. Further, the correlation between the major symptoms such as nausea,
vomiting, pain, and current methods to measure change in gastric function (electrical, motor activity, meal
emptying times) is poor at best. Finally, we do not understand the long-term outcomes of these patients and
whether outcomes differ on the basis of etiology, symptom severity, and degree of emptying abnormalities.
Consequently, our approach to these patients is erratic and treatment has been empirical and only partially
effective, if at all, in relieving the major symptoms. The mission of the GpCRC is completely aligned with the
recommendations of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases;5 specifically, Research Goal 2.6 relates
to gastroparesis and states: "Understand the noxious visceral signaling causing nausea and vomiting related to
gastric neuro-electrical and/or motor dysfunction and the bi-directional brain-gut interactions. Gastroparesis
provides an archetypal disease for investigative inquiry. Chronic vomiting, a debilitating and socially isolating
digestive symptom, creates potentially life-threatening disruptions in fluid and electrolyte homeostasis and
compromises nutritional status. Chronic nausea remains a significant hidden disability. Nausea and vomiting
usually occur in tandem and overlay with other Gl symptoms as well as presenting in numerous digestive
diseases. More effective treatments for nausea and vomiting would improve quality of life and physical
functioning in a vast array of illnesses. A paucity of research exists for defining peripheral noxious signaling of
nausea and vomiting related to primary Gl motor/sensory disturbances."
The Specific Aims of this proposal are to: 1. Complete the current GpCRC registry; 2. To continue the GpCRC
core lab, responsible for anatomic and related studies on tissue sample of patients with Gp syndromes; 3.
Continue pharmacologic studies on patients with Gp syndromes; 4. Continue device studies for patients with
the Gp syndrome...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10001522
- **Project number:** 5U01DK074007-15
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas Lyman Abell
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $383,920
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2006-04-15 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10001522

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10001522, University of Louisville’s Clinical Center in Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium (5U01DK074007-15). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10001522. Licensed CC0.

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