Human antroduodenal motility, pyloric closure, and domperidone

The action of the peripheral dopamine antagonist, domperidone, on human antroduodenal coordination, has been studied in a double-blind study. Thirty dyspeptic patients without antroduodenal pathology were studied at upper alimentary endoscopy, being studied for two 10-minute periods before and after receiving intravenous domperidone (20 mg) or placebo. Antral and proximal duodenal contractions were recorded with Fogarty balloon catheters and pyloric closure recorded as the fall in impedance measured across four small electrodes maintained at the pylorus. Domperidone significantly increased the number of antral contractions. When spontaneous duodenal activity was present, domperidone reduced the number of isolated duodenal contractions (no preceding antral contractions within 10 seconds) without detectably altering the behaviour of the pylorus.