title: Erythromycin for Gastric Emptying in Patients Undergoing General Anesthesia for Emergency Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients undergoing emergency procedures under general anesthesia have impaired gastric emptying and are at high risk for aspiration of gastric contents. Erythromycin has strong gastric prokinetic properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of erythromycin lactobionate in gastric emptying in patients undergoing emergency surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Erythro-Emerge trial was a single-center, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial in patients undergoing emergency surgery under general anesthesia at Geneva University Hospitals. We included 132 patients from March 25, 2009, through April 10, 2013, and all patients completed the study. Randomization was stratified for trauma and nontrauma procedures. The randomization code was opened on April 23, 2013, and analyses were performed through July 26, 2013. We performed an intention-to-treat analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were randomized to intravenous erythromycin lactobionate, 3 mg/kg, or placebo 15 minutes before tracheal intubation. Patients were followed up for 24 hours.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome was a clear stomach, defined as less than 40 mL of liquids and no solids and identified through endoscopy immediately after intubation. The secondary outcome was the pH level of residual gastric content.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A clear stomach was diagnosed in 42 of 66 patients (64%) receiving placebo compared with 53 of 66 patients (80%) receiving erythromycin (risk ratio, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.01-1.57]). In the population undergoing surgery for nontrauma, the association between receipt of erythromycin and having a clear stomach (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI]) was statistically significant (13.4 [1.49-120]; P = .02); in the population undergoing surgery for trauma, it was not (1.81 [0.64-5.16]; P = .26). Median (interquartile range) pH of the residual gastric liquid was 2 (1-4) in 36 patients receiving placebo and 6 (3-7) in 16 receiving erythromycin (P = .002). Patients receiving erythromycin had nausea (20 [30%] vs 4 [6%]) and stomach cramps (15 [23%] vs 2 [3%]) more often than those receiving placebo. One patient receiving erythromycin vomited before induction of anesthesia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients undergoing general anesthesia for emergency procedures, erythromycin administration increased the proportion with a clear stomach and decreased the acidity of residual gastric liquid. Erythromycin was particularly efficacious in the nontrauma population. Adverse effects were minor. Further large-scale studies are warranted to confirm the potential of erythromycin to reduce the incidence of bronchoaspiration in patients undergoing emergency surgery.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00827216.
authors.affiliation: Division of Anesthesiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Czarnetzki
authors.affiliation: Division of Anesthesiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland2Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elia
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland4Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Frossard
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giostra
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland4Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spahr
authors.affiliation: Division of Anesthesiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Waeber
authors.affiliation: Division of Anesthesiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pavlovic
authors.affiliation: Division of Anesthesiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lysakowski
authors.affiliation: Division of Anesthesiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland4Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Tramèr
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004630:Emergencies; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects*; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005773:Gastroscopy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D063466:Respiratory Aspiration of Gastric Contents / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative
chemical_list: D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; C010948:erythromycin lactobionate; D004917:Erythromycin