Gallbladder and gastric motility in patients with idiopathic slow-transit constipation.
OBJECTIVE
Idiopathic slow-transit constipation (STC) has been suggested to be a pangastrointestinal motility disorder. We investigated scintigraphically whether motility in the gallbladder and stomach was impaired in slow-transit constipation.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients with STC were studied. Colon transit time, gallbladder motility, and solid-phase gastric emptying were measured by scintigraphy.


RESULTS
Gallbladder dysmotility was observed in 8 of 18 (44.4%) patients. Mean gallbladder ejection fraction was 41.6 +/- 13.6% (range, 16.3-67.0%). Gastric emptying was delayed in 9 of 18 (50%) patients. Mean solid-phase gastric half-emptying time was 75 minutes. STC may be associated with impaired function of other gastrointestinal organs. Approximately half of patients with STC presented gallbladder or gastric dysmotility.


CONCLUSIONS
STC may not be a pure colonic abnormality; it may be a component of a pangastrointestinal tract motility disorder involving several organs.
Department of Gastroenterology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. alp_gunay@yahoo.com
Alp
A
Gunay
A Kemal
AK
Gurbuz
Yavuz
Y
Narin
A Melih
AM
Ozel
Y
Y
Yazgan
D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013997:Time Factors