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Recovery from disturbed colonic transit time after alcohol withdrawal

  • Original Contributions
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Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

The effects of alcohol withdrawal on total and segmental transit time were evaluated in 20 chronic alcoholic subjects. After withdrawal, colorectal transit time significantly increased from 24.9±3.6 to 33.3±4.5 hours mean ±SE(P<0.01). This was the result of an exclusive increase in rectosigmoid transit time from 2.8±0.7 to 9.8±2.1 hours (P<0.001). No variations were found in right or left colon transit time. Distal colonic motility is thus a crucial factor in the genesis of diarrhea in chronic alcoholic subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department de Physiologie-URA CNRS 1286, Hôpital Laennec, 42, rue de Sèvres, F75007, Paris, France

    M. Bouchoucha M.D., Ph.D

  2. Service de Gastroenterologie et d'Hépatologie, Hôpital Laennec, Paris

    B. Nalpas M.D., M. Berger M.D. & J. -Ph. Barbier M.D.

  3. Service de Chirurgie Digestive, Hôpital Laennec, Paris, France

    P. -H. Cugnenc M.D.

Authors
  1. M. Bouchoucha M.D., Ph.D
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  2. B. Nalpas M.D.
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  3. M. Berger M.D.
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  4. P. -H. Cugnenc M.D.
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  5. J. -Ph. Barbier M.D.
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Bouchoucha, M., Nalpas, B., Berger, M. et al. Recovery from disturbed colonic transit time after alcohol withdrawal. Dis Colon Rectum 34, 111–114 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02049982

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