Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 4, 2026

Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol
19:32

Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol

Published on: February 18, 2012

Erythromycin as a prokinetic agent in preterm infants

Christos Costalos1, Anthony Gounaris, Evangelia Varhalama

  • 1Department of Neonatal Medicine, Piraeus General Hospital, Nikea, Piraeus, Greece.

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|December 26, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Erythromycin significantly enhances gastrointestinal motility in preterm infants. This macrolide antibiotic improved antral contractility and reduced whole gut transit time, aiding digestion.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pharmacology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Erythromycin, a macrolide antibiotic, is recognized for its prokinetic properties, stimulating gastrointestinal motility.
  • Preterm infants often experience gastrointestinal dysmotility, necessitating effective therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of oral erythromycin on the gastrointestinal motility of preterm infants.
  • To evaluate erythromycin's efficacy in enhancing gastric antral contractility and whole gut transit time.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind, randomized, crossover study involving 20 preterm infants (median gestational age 32 weeks).
  • Infants received either erythromycin (10 mg/kg, 8-hourly) or placebo orally for 7 days.
  • Gastric antral contractility was measured using ultrasonography; whole gut transit time was assessed via carmine red transit.

Main Results:

  • Erythromycin treatment significantly reduced the duration of antral contractility compared to placebo (31 min vs. 70 min, P < 0.01).
  • Whole gut transit time was markedly shorter with erythromycin (23.1 hours vs. 49.3 hours, P < 0.01).
  • All infants tolerated erythromycin well, with no adverse events reported.

Conclusions:

  • Oral erythromycin effectively enhances both antral contractility and whole gut transit time in food-intolerant preterm infants.
  • Erythromycin presents a promising therapeutic option for managing gastrointestinal dysmotility in this vulnerable population.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Probiotic Studies in Neonatal Mice Using Gavage10:36

Probiotic Studies in Neonatal Mice Using Gavage

Published on: January 27, 2019

In Vivo Real-Time Study of Drug Effects on Carotid Blood Flow in the Ovine Fetus11:59

In Vivo Real-Time Study of Drug Effects on Carotid Blood Flow in the Ovine Fetus

Published on: April 28, 2023

Related Concept Videos

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists01:28

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists

Prokinetic agents are specialized medications that stimulate gastrointestinal (GI) motility, promoting food movement through the GI tract. Dopamine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, plays a significant role in this process, reducing GI motility and indirectly controlling the speed of digestion. Dopamine receptor antagonists, such as metoclopramide and domperidone, offer a unique advantage as prokinetic agents. By blocking the dopamine receptors, these drugs increase GI motility, improving food...
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists01:23

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists

Serotonin, a crucial neurotransmitter synthesized by enterochromaffin cells, plays a cardinal role in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) motility. With over 90% of the body's total serotonin in the GI tract, its influence on digestive processes is profound. Serotonin is swiftly released upon various stimuli, such as food boluses or certain drugs, triggering intrinsic sensory neurons in the myenteric plexus and extrinsic vagal and spinal sensory neurons. This leads to the activation of the...
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...