[Gastroduodenal motility in chronic dyspepsia. 1. Interdigestive motility]

The interdigestive gastroduodenal motility was studied in 28 patients suffering from chronic dyspepsia and in 15 healthy controls. The pressure activity was recorded using a four-lumen manometric probe positioned in the gastric antrum, the proximal and distal duodenum as well. - The mean cycle duration of the interdigestive myoelectric complex lasted 108 +/- 36 min. in dyspepsia and 81 +/- 30 min. in controls (p less than 0.05). In the antrum this prolongation resulted from a longer duration of phase 1. 7 dyspeptic patients had no activity fronts in the stomach. Both examined groups showed little differences in duodenal motility patterns, except for a significant increase of tonic pressure component during phase 3 activity in dyspepsia. Between gastric emptying time and interdigestive motility no correlation were established.