Gastric myoelectrical activity in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
To examine gastric myoelectrical activity in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).


METHODS
The study comprised 11 female PBC patients (average age 53.4 years, range 43-70) and two aged-matched control groups: 11 (53.4 years, range 37-78) healthy women, and 10 female patients with chronic hepatitis C, CHC (53.9 years, range 35-66), who were examined prior to administration of an antiviral therapy. Every subject underwent an electrogastrographic recording comprising a 30-min interdigestive and a 120-min postprandial period.


RESULTS
Abnormal electrogastrograms, containing prolonged epochs of tachygastria in the postprandial phase were found in 2 out of 11 (18.2%) patients having both stage IV of the Scheuer's PBC classification, as well as in 1 patient out of 10 (10%) with CHC at stage F2 according to the METAVIR fibrosis score.


CONCLUSIONS
Electrogastrographic abnormalities do not seem to be pathognomonic for the PBC as a disease, but rather would be considered an unspecific sequel of a morbid liver affection.
Kasicka-Jonderko
Anna
A
Department of Basic Biomedical Science, School of Pharmacy, Medical University of Silesia, Kasztanowa Street 3, 41-205, Sosnowiec, Poland.
Krusiec-Swidergoł
Beata
B
Jonderko
Krzysztof
K
Musialik
Joanna
J
Gonciarz
Maciej
M
Błońska-Fajfrowska
Barbara
B
Gonciarz
Zbigniew
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004063:Digestion; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019518:Postprandial Period