Delayed gastric emptying during interferon-alpha therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C: relief by cisapride.
BACKGROUND
Patients receiving interferon-alpha often experience symptoms such as upper abdominal discomfort, anorexia, and nausea, which suggest a delay in gastric emptying. Reduction of the dosages of interferon-alpha or even interruption of the treatment is sometimes required because of these symptoms. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of interferon-alpha on gastric emptying and to evaluate the effects of cisapride on gastric emptying and upper abdominal symptoms during interferon-alpha therapy.


METHODS
Gastric emptying in 14 patients with chronic hepatitis C was estimated by the sulfamethizole capsule method before and 1 and 2 weeks after the beginning of interferon-alpha (6 million U/day) therapy.


RESULTS
Before therapy none of the patients complained of upper abdominal symptoms, and all had normal gastric emptying. Interferon treatment delayed gastric emptying in 12 of the patients and induced discomfort and anorexia in 9 of the patients. The administration of cisapride reversed the delayed gastric emptying in six of seven patients and relieved abdominal discomfort and anorexia.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that interferon-alpha delays gastric emptying and suggest that cisapride administration corrects the delayed gastric emptying and relieves the abdominal symptoms associated with interferon-alpha therapy.
Nishibayashi
H
H
Second Dept. of Internal Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Kanayama
S
S
Shinomura
Y
Y
Kawata
S
S
Matsuzawa
Y
Y
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020117:Cisapride; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects*; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013419:Sulfamethizole
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D007370:Interferon Type I; D010880:Piperidines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013419:Sulfamethizole; D020117:Cisapride