Gastric tone determines the sensitivity of the stomach to distention.
OBJECTIVE
Whether meal-related symptoms such as postcibal epigastric fullness and discomfort are caused by hypotonic gastric expansion or gastric hypertension is unknown. This study investigated whether symptoms in healthy individuals in response to gastric distention are produced by gastric expansion or by an increase in intragastric pressure.


METHODS
Increasing gastric distentions (for 5 minutes at 5-minute intervals) at fixed pressure levels (in 2-mm Hg increments) and at fixed volume levels (in 200-mL increments) were performed in 10 healthy subjects per group; perception was measured on a 0-6 scale. Distentions were performed during intravenous infusion of saline (basal) and during gastric relaxation by intravenous administration of glucagon (4.8-micrograms/kg bolus plus 9.6 micrograms.kg-1.h-1 infusion).


RESULTS
The same distending pressure tested produced 30% +/- 9% larger intragastric volumes and 80% +/- 44% higher perception scores when the stomach was relaxed by glucagon (P < 0.05 vs. basal for both). In contrast, the same distending volumes tested produced 25% +/- 7% lower intragastric pressures and 21% +/- 12% lower perception scores when the stomach was relaxed (P < 0.05 vs. basal for both).


CONCLUSIONS
Epigastric symptoms in response to gastric distention are influenced by both the intragastric pressure and the intragastric volume.
Digestive System Research Unit, Hospital General Vall d'Hebron, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.
R
R
Notivol
B
B
Coffin
F
F
Azpiroz
F
F
Mearin
J
J
Serra
J R
JR
Malagelada
D000328:Adult; D004106:Dilatation; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013270:Stomach / Q000503:physiopathology*
D012965:Sodium Chloride; D005934:Glucagon