title: Impact of rikkunshito, an herbal medicine, on delayed gastric emptying in profoundly handicapped patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rikkunshito is used to treat functional dyspepsia in adults. This study investigated the effects of rikkunshito on delayed gastric emptying in handicapped patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was performed in nine profoundly handicapped patients (aged 1-19 years). All were diagnosed with delayed gastric emptying based on their half gastric emptying time (T(1/2)) over 90 min. Gastric emptying was evaluated after the ingestion of liquid meals using the (13)C-acetate breath test and the BreathID system. Participants were given rikkunshito [0.3 g/(kg day)] with the aim of accelerating gastric emptying. Parameters related to gastric emptying before and during rikkunshito administration were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Data were expressed as the median (range).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Emesis and hematemesis were relieved with rikkunshito administration in four symptomatic patients. The T(1/2) and T(lag) decreased significantly during rikkunshito administration from 115 min (94-167 min) to 107 min (64-66 min; p = 0.02), and from 60 min (42-90 min) to 47 min (29-59 min; p = 0.03), respectively. The gastric emptying coefficient did not show a significant change [3.1 (2.8-3.8) vs. 3.2 (2.6-4.0), p = 0.15)] with rikkunshito treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The administration of rikkunshito resulted in symptomatic relief and improved gastric emptying in profoundly handicapped patients with delayed gastric emptying.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Osaka Medical Center and Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health, 840 Murodo-cho Izumi, Osaka, 594-1101, Japan. kawahara@mch.pref.osaka.jp
authors.forename: Hisayoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mitani
authors.forename: Motonari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nose
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoneda
authors.forename: Toshimichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuzawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D054082:Lissencephaly / Q000150:complications; D020835:Medicine, Kampo; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
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