Dumping Syndrome Diagnosis - Medical Algorithm

Sigstad developed a clinical index to identify a patient with the dumping syndrome. The author is from the University of Bergen in Norway.

Parameters:

(1) preshock or shock (hypotension)

(2) syncope, faintness, loss of consciousness

(3) desire to lie down

(4) breathlessness, dyspnea

(5) weakness, feeling exhausted

(6) drowsiness, sleepiness, yawning, falling asleep, apathy

(7) palpitations

(8) restlessness

(9) dizziness

(10) headaches

(11) sweating, feeling warm, clammy skin, pallor

(12) nausea

(13) feeling of fullness in the abdomen, meteorismus (a feeling of excessive gas in the intestines, tympanites)

(14) borborygmia (rumbling sound as gas moves through contracting intestines)

(15) eructations

(16) vomiting

Parameter	Finding	Points
preshock or shock	absent	0
	present	5
syncope, faintness, loss of consciousness	absent	0
	present	4
desire to lie down	absent	0
	present	4
breathlessness, dyspnea	absent	0
	present	3
weakness or feeling exhausted	absent	0
	present	3
drowsiness, sleepiness, etc	absent	0
	present	3
palpitations	absent	0
	present	3
restlessness	absent	0
	present	2
dizziness	absent	0
	present	2
headaches	absent	0
	present	1
sweating, feeling warm, clammy skin	absent	0
	present	1
nausea	absent	0
	present	1
feeling full in the abdomen	absent	0
	present	1
borborygmia	absent	0
	present	1
eructations	absent	0
	present	-1
vomiting	absent	0
	present	-4

total index =

= SUM(points for all 16 parameters)

Interpretation:

• minimum index: -5

• maximum index: 34

• The higher the index the more likely the patient has the dumping syndrome.

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Clinical Index of Sigstad for Diagnosis of the Dumping Syndrome