Gastroenterology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A 5HT3 antagonist corrects the postprandial colonic hypertonic response in carcinoid diarrhea.
Carcinoid patients show a hypertonic colonic motor response postprandially. Ondansetron reduces postprandial colonic tone in health. It was hypothesized that ondansetron, a selective 5HT3 antagonist, corrects the colonic motor response to eating in carcinoid diarrhea. ⋯ Ondastetron reduces the postprandial colonic hypertonic response in carcinoid diarrhea to levels previously reported in health; further clinical studies of this class of antagonists in carcinoid diarrhea appear warranted.
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Mean arterial pressure is reduced during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. The aim of this study was to assess whether this was associated with intestinal hypoperfusion and whether it affected intestinal absorption and permeability. ⋯ Cardiopulmonary bypass, while maintaining generally acceptable levels of hemodynamic performance, is associated with significant intestinal hypoperfusion and malabsorption of monosaccharides, which may have implications for enteral drug treatment in the immediate postoperative period.
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The contribution of the crural diaphragm to the gastroesophageal high pressure zone (HPZ) may be important in prevention of gastroesophageal reflux. The purpose of this study was to investigate the manometric characteristics of the thoracoabdominal junction in patients after surgical removal of the lower esophageal sphincter. ⋯ This study shows an HPZ at the thoracoabdominal junction after surgical removal of the lower esophageal sphincter. We suggest that this sphincterlike HPZ is due to the crural diaphragm.
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Change in serum hyaluronan: a simple index of short-term drug-induced changes in hepatic sinusoidal perfusion.
Hyaluronan is an endogenous polysaccharide whose clearance from the plasma is predominantly by liver sinusoidal cells and is sinusoidal flow dependent. This study was designed to determine if a change in serum hyaluronan might reliably reflect short-term drug-induced changes in sinusoidal perfusion. ⋯ Changes in serum hyaluronan levels reflect short-term drug-induced changes in sinusoidal perfusion in patients with alcoholic liver disease and portal hypertension. Serial measurement of serum hyaluronan levels may offer a simple method of screening vasoactive drugs for their short-term effects on sinusoidal perfusion.