Postprandial Colonic Motor Activity in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Jeong, Ji Bong; Yang, Youg Mo; Jeon, Won Joong; Seo, Jeong Chul; Lee, Hyun Hee; Ko, Byeong Seong; Chae, Hee Bok; Park, Seon Mee; Youn, Sei Jin

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to discover the physiologic difference of a postprandial motor response in different segments of the colon between patients with irritable bowel syndrome and healthy subjects.
METHODS
Irritable bowel syndrome patients are categorized into three groups according to their main symptoms; loose stool-dominant (A, n=5), abdominal pain-dominant (B, n=5), constipation-dominant (C, n=6) and the normal control group (n=5). The intraluminal pressure activity was measured with a colonoscopically positioned multilumen manometric catheter. The change of the colonic motility index (MI) is presented as a percent change (mean+/-SE%) over the basal period in response to a meal.
RESULTS
1) In the transverse, descending and sigmoid colon of healthy subjects, the percentage changes in the basal MI during the first 30 min after the meal are significantly increased (p < 0.05-0.01). 2) In the sigmoid colon, the percentage changes in the basal MI during the first 30 min after the meal were 62+/-18 in A, 29+/-18 in B, 12+/-8 in C and 306+/-102% in heathy subjects respectively, which shows a significant difference between the MI of control and healthy subjects (p < 0.05). 3) In B and C, the percentage changes in the basal MI during the first 30 min after the meal in the descending colon were 105+/-38, 11+/-7, respectively, which shows a significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05). In A and C, the percentage changes in the basal MI during the first 30 min after the meal in the sigmoid colon was 62+/-18, 12+/-8, respectively, which shows a significant change between the two groups (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that postprandial intraluminal pressure differences play a role in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome.