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Changes in pyloric resistance induced by erythromycin
1Unité des Flux Digestifs, Station de Recherches Porcines, Saint Gilles, France.
Neurogastroenterology and Motility
|June 6, 1998
Summary
Erythromycin enhances gastric emptying by increasing the volume of each flow pulse, not by altering pulse frequency. This effect is linked to reduced pyloric resistance and coordinated antral contractions.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
Background:
- Erythromycin is known to accelerate gastric emptying.
- However, the specific mechanisms, including transpyloric flow dynamics and the role of pyloric resistance, remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of erythromycin on transpyloric flow characteristics.
- To determine the contribution of pyloric resistance to erythromycin-induced increases in gastric emptying.
Main Methods:
- The study involved eight anesthetized pigs.
- Transpyloric outflow and gastroduodenal pressures were measured during intravenous erythromycin infusion (10 mg kg-1).
Main Results:
- Erythromycin significantly increased the stroke volume of individual flow pulses (13.7 mL vs. 3.6 mL).
- Pyloric resistance to flow was markedly reduced (2.3 mmHg mL-1 s-1 vs. 4.6 mmHg mL-1 s-1).
- This was associated with increased antral contractions and suppression of isolated pyloric pressure waves.
Conclusions:
- Erythromycin enhances gastric emptying primarily by increasing the volume of flow pulses, not by changing their frequency.
- A key mechanism involves the reduction of pyloric resistance due to synchronized antral and pyloric pressure events.