title: Effects of intravenous erythromycin on antroduodenal motility in humans: non-invasive observations with real-time ultrasound.
abstract: Erythromycin has been shown to act on motilin receptors on gastrointestinal smooth muscle in vitro and to accelerate gastric emptying in normal subjects as well as in patients with diabetic mellitus. To evaluate the motor pattern that accounts for this accelerated emptying, the effects of 12.5 mg/min erythromycin vs. placebo on postprandial motility of the antroduodenum was examined with real-time ultrasound in 15 normal subjects. During 10 minutes of observation, erythromycin significantly increased forward transpyloric flow episode (1.04 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.37 +/- 0.41; p < 0.05), forward transpyloric flow duration (5.79 < 4.49 vs. 3.19 < 1.72 seconds; p < 0.05) and improved antro-pyloro-duodenal coordination (0.43 +/- 0.23 vs. 0.21 +/- 0.17; p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were found for gastric peristaltic cycle (22.62 +/- 3.06 vs. 23.40 +/- 2.14 seconds; p > 0.05), retrograde transpyloric flow episode (0.13 +/- 0.16 vs. 0.18 +/- 0.29; p > 0.05), and retrograde transpyloric flow duration (1.24 +/- 0.30 vs. 1.38 +/- 0.58 seconds; p > 0.05). We conclude that erythromycin increases episode and duration of forward transpyloric flow, and improves antro-pyloro-duodenal coordination, which may play a role in accelerating gastric emptying.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wahn
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Nain
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004064:Digestive System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D004917:Erythromycin