Prolonged ambulatory duodeno-jejunal manometry in humans: normal values and gender effect
E E Soffer1, S Thongsawat, S Ellerbroek
1Department of Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, USA.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to provide a detailed comparison of motor activity in the duodenum and jejunum and between men and women studied by prolonged ambulatory manometry.
Methods:
Thirty healthy volunteers (17 males) underwent prolonged ambulatory recording of duodeno-jejunal motility using a catheter with five built-in strain-gauge transducers (two duodenal and three jejunal). Manometric data was obtained during an extended period of fasting, the postprandial period and during sleep.
Results:
There was a wide range of durations of the migrating motor complex (MMC), but at least one phase III was detected during 6 h of fasting, or 6 h of sleep in each subject (0.52+/-0.04 phase III/hour during fasting vs 0.59+/-0.04 during sleep, p=0.1). There was marked variation in the duration and pattern of phase III. Postprandially, frequency of contractions and motility index were maximal in the first 2 h after the meal, in both the duodenum and jejunum. There were no substantive differences between males and females or between the duodenum and jejunum.
Conclusion:
We conclude that upper small bowel motility is little affected by gender or segment.
