Gastric emptying in critically ill patients is accelerated by adding cisapride to a standard enteral feeding protocol: results of a prospective, randomized, controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of cisapride, a relatively new prokinetic agent, on gastric emptying in critically ill patients.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, controlled study.


METHODS
Adult medical/surgical intensive care unit in a university hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-one consecutively enrolled patients, requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation and enteral feeding.


METHODS
Patients were randomized to receive either no cisapride or 10 mg of cisapride four times daily, which was added to a standard enteral nutrition feeding protocol.


RESULTS
Gastric emptying was evaluated by daily measurements of gastric residue and on days 5 through 7 by bedside scintigraphy. Normal values for gastric clearance of a tracer-labeled test meal and for measurements obtained in the supine position were determined in ten healthy volunteers. The mean time at which 50% of the technetium 99m-labeled test meal was eliminated from the stomach (T 1/2) in this control group was 31 +/- 15 mins. In ten critically ill patients (enteral nutrition group), gastric emptying was markedly delayed after 5 to 7 days of enteral feeding (mean T 1/2 = 78 +/- 40 mins; p < .002 as compared with the control group). In contrast, patients treated with cisapride (cisapride group) showed an accelerated gastric emptying (mean T 1/2 = 18 +/- 7 mins; p > .05 as compared with controls; p < .005 as compared with enteral nutrition group). The mean gastric residue over a 1-wk period was also significantly lower in the cisapride group than in the enteral nutrition group (17.7 +/- 8.9 vs. 94.5 +/- 33.4 mL; p < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
The data indicate that gastric emptying in critically ill, sedated, and mechanically ventilated patients can be significantly improved by adding cisapride to a routine enteral feeding protocol.
Spapen
H D
HD
Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
Duinslaeger
L
L
Diltoer
M
M
Gillet
R
R
Bossuyt
A
A
Huyghens
L P
LP
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020117:Cisapride; D016638:Critical Illness; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013270:Stomach / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D020117:Cisapride