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Effect of aspirin on gallbladder motility in patients with gallstone disease

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of two dosage schedules

  • Pancreatic and Biliary Disorders
  • Published:
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Abstract

Patients with gallstone disease have impaired gallbladder motility. Prostaglandins are thought to be important mediators of gallbladder hypomotility. We assessed the effect of aspirin, a prostaglandin inhibitor on gallbladder resting volume and ejection fraction according to a double-blind study protocol in 20 healthy volunteers and 30 patients with gallstone disease. Healthy volunteers had a higher ejection fraction compared to patients with gallstone disease (73.9±0.9% vs 60.4±1.0%,P<0.05). Aspirin in a dose of 350 mg/day for two weeks did not alter gallbladder motility in the healthy volunteers. Thirty patients with gallstone disease were randomized into three treatment groups: group I (placebo), group II (aspirin 350 mg/day), and group III (aspirin 1400 mg/day). After two weeks of treatment, gallbladder ejection fraction was improved in group II (74.0±1.7% vs 62.0±1.7%,P<0.01) and group III (69.8±3.8% vs 61.2±1.3%,P<0.01) but not in group I (60.4±2.6% vs 59.0±1.9%,P=NS). The higher dose of aspirin did not induce a greater increase in gallbladder emptying. It is concluded that impaired gallbladder motility in patients with gallstone disease is corrected by short-term oral aspirin even in low dosage. This may be clinically useful in secondary prophylaxis after nonsurgical therapy for gallstone disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology and Radiodiagnosis, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India

    A. Das MD, S. S. Baijal MD & V. A. Saraswat DM

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  1. A. Das MD
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  2. S. S. Baijal MD
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  3. V. A. Saraswat DM
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Das, A., Baijal, S.S. & Saraswat, V.A. Effect of aspirin on gallbladder motility in patients with gallstone disease. Digest Dis Sci 40, 1782–1785 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02212702

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02212702

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