Korean J Gastroenterol.  2000 Mar;35(3):291-300.

The Effect of Long-term Erythromycin Treatment on Parameters of Gastric Motility in Patients with Dysmotility-like Functional Dyspepsia

• Hwang IR
• Kim JH
• Lee KJ
• Kim JM
• Cho SW

Abstract

Erythromycin (EM) acts specifically on endogenous receptor for motilin, induces migrating motor complex, and increases gastric emptying. We performed this study to assess the effect of EM on gastric motility.
METHODS
Cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) and gastric emptying time (GET) using 99mTc sulfur colloid label mixed with a solid food were obtained at baseline and after 8 weeks of oral administration of EM (250 mg, b.i.d) in 25 patients (M:F=10:15, mean age 39.6+/-10.6 years) with dysmotility-like functional dyspepsia (FD).
RESULTS
The patients were divided into responder (R) group (19 patients, 76%) and non-responder (N-R) group (6 patients, 24%) according to symptomatic improvement after EM treatment. On baseline EGG, the mean percentages of normal gastric slow wave for fasting and postprandial period were 90.4+/-11.3 and 93.6+/-8.0%, respectively in R group. On the other hand, those in N-R group were 86.1+/-18.0 and 98.3+/-2.6%, respectively. EM treatment did not affect significantly the gastric slow wave. EM produced variable effects on the postprandial amplitude increment on EGG in both groups. The mean clearance half time (T1/2) was 128.0+/-39.6 min in R group and 149.1+/-29.8 min in N-R group at baseline GET. There was no difference in T1/2 between before and after EM treatment in both groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Symptomatic improvement was achieved in high percentage of patinets with dysmotility-like FD after oral EM treatment, but it didn't correlate with change in parameters of EGG and GET. It probably results from mechanism other than the mechanism which affects on gastric motility.

Keyword

Functional dyspepsia; Erythromycin; Gastric emptying time; Electrogastrography

MeSH Terms

Administration, Oral
Colloids
Dyspepsia*
Erythromycin*
Fasting
Gastric Emptying
Hand
Humans
Motilin
Myoelectric Complex, Migrating
Ovum
Postprandial Period
Sulfur
Colloids
Erythromycin
Motilin
Sulfur