Sudden onset of slow gastric emptying of food.
Three healthy, young adults suddenly experienced the onset of slow gastric emptying. Their symptoms began in February, 1975 in association with a brief illness consistent with a viral gastroenteritis. They complained of early satiety, nausea, and vomiting when they ate solid food and they had lost 11-25 kg in body weight in 8-12 mo. On admission, their physical examinations and laboratory studies were within normal limits. Their stomachs emptied a barium mixture normally, and fiberoptic endoscopy did not detect any abnormalities. The slowed gastric emptying of food was documented with radioisotopic gastric emptying studies. The prolonged emptying rates of 2 patients were reduced 90% with metoclopramide. In association with metoclopramide therapy, the patients were able to eat more food, and they regained 8-10 kg of body weight in 4-6 mo. Their histories raise the possibility that their initial illness may have damaged the mechanisms which control the gastric emptying of food.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008787:Metoclopramide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications
D008787:Metoclopramide