title: Effect of aspirin on gallbladder motility in patients with gallstone disease. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of two dosage schedules.
abstract: Patients with gallstone disease have impaired gallbladder motility. Prostaglandins are thought to be important mediators of gallbladder hypomotility. We assessed the effect of aspirin, a prostaglandin inhibitor on gallbladder resting volume and ejection fraction according to a double-blind study protocol in 20 healthy volunteers and 30 patients with gallstone disease. Healthy volunteers had a higher ejection fraction compared to patients with gallstone disease (73.9 +/- 0.9% vs 60.4 +/- 1.0%, P < 0.05). Aspirin in a dose of 350 mg/day for two weeks did not alter gallbladder motility in the healthy volunteers. Thirty patients with gallstone disease were randomized into three treatment groups: group I (placebo), group II (aspirin 350 mg/day), and group III (aspirin 1400 mg/day). After two weeks of treatment, gallbladder ejection fraction was improved in group II (74.0 +/- 1.7% vs 62.0 +/- 1.7%, P < 0.01) and group III (69.8 +/- 3.8% vs 61.2 +/- 1.3%, P < 0.01) but not in group I (60.4 +/- 2.6% vs 59.0 +/- 1.9%, P = NS). The higher dose of aspirin did not induce a greater increase in gallbladder emptying. It is concluded that impaired gallbladder motility in patients with gallstone disease is corrected by short-term oral aspirin even in low dosage. This may be clinically useful in secondary prophylaxis after nonsurgical therapy for gallstone disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Radiodiagnosis, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Baijal
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Saraswat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D016473:Gallbladder Emptying / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D001241:Aspirin