Abstract
We sought to evaluate our experience with glucagon used in the emergency department setting to relieve esophageal food impaction (EFI). We reviewed the records of patients with food impaction who received glucagon between January 1998 and May 2003 and recorded patient demographics, medical history, symptoms following glucagon administration, and endoscopic findings. There were 92 episodes of food impaction in 85 patients. Thirty-three percent of the episodes resulted in resolution of symptoms following a dose of glucagon. Sixty-seven percent had symptoms of food impaction after glucagon and underwent upper endoscopy in the emergency room. Only previous solid food dysphagia was positively associated with response to glucagon. Patients who received glucagon plus a benzodiazepine were more likely to have resolution of the EFI. In our experience, glucagon appears to relieve food impaction in one third of patients treated. This result is comparable to previously published data examining glucagon and placebo. The lack of advantage over placebo questions the practice of glucagon administration for EFI.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Necheles H, Sporn J, Walker L (1966) Effect of glucagon on gastrointestinal motility. Am J Gastroenterol 45:34–39
Jaffer S, Makhlouf GM, Schorr BA, Zfass AM (1974) Nature and kinetics of inhibition of LES by glucagon. Gastroenterology 67:42–26
Lin SZ, Zhang TL (1989) Effect of glucagon on the motility of esophageal smooth muscle. Chin Med J 102:193–199
Trenkner SW, Maglinte DD, Lehman GA, Chernish SM, Miller RE, Johnson SW (1983) Esophageal food impaction: treatment with glucagon. Radiology 149:401–402
Colon V, Grade A, Pullium G, Johnson C, Foss R (1999) Effect of doses of glucagon used to treat food impaction on esophageal motor function of normal subjects. Dysphagia 14:27–30
Ferrucci JT, Long JA Jr (1977) Radiologic treatment of esophageal food impaction using intravenous glucagon. Radiology 125:25–28
Pillari G, Bank S, Katzka I, Fulco JD (1979) Meat bolus impaction of the lower esophagus associated with a paraesophageal hernia. Successful noninvasive treatment with intravenous glucagon. Am J Gastroenterol 71:287–289
Glauser J, Lilja G, Greenfeld B, Ruiz E (1979) Intravenous glucagon in the management of esophageal food obstruction. JACEP 8:228–231.
Tibbling L, Bjorkhoel A, Jansson E, Stenkvist M (1995) Effect of spasmolytic drugs on esophageal foreign bodies. Dysphagia 10:126–127
Hall-Boyer K, Zaloga G, Chernow B (1984) Glucagon: hormone or therapeutic agent? Crit Care Med 12:584–589
Christiansen J, Borgeskov S (1974) The effect of glucagon and the combined effect of glucagon and secretin on lower esophageal sphincter pressure in man. Scand J Gastroenterol 9:615–618
Hogan WJ, Dodds WJ, Hoke SE, Reid DP, Kalkhoff RK, Arndorfer RC (1975) Effect of glucagon on esophageal motor function. Gastroenterology 69:160–165
Moosa AR, Hall AW, Hughes RG, Moraldi A, Moosa DE, Skinner DB (1978) Effect of gastrointestinal hormone infusions on lower oesophageal competence of rhesus monkeys. Br J Surg 65:499–504
Channer KS, Bolton R, Al-Hilli S, Nakielny R, Virjee JP (1983) The effect of glucagon on the swallowing of capsules. Br J Clin Pharmacol 16:456–458
Anvari M, Richards D, Dent J, Waterfall WE, Stevenson GW (1989) The effect of glucagon on esophageal peristalsis and clearance. Gastrointest Radiol 14:100–102
Kaszer-Seibert DJ, Korn WT, Bindman DJ, Shortsleeve MJ (1990) Treatment of acute esophageal food impaction with a combination of glucagon, effervescent agent and water. AJR Am J Roentgenol 154:533–534
Robbins MI, Shortsleeve MJ (1994) Treatment of acute esophageal food impaction with glucagon, an effervescent agent, and water. AJR Am J Roentgenol 162:325–328
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Haddad, M., Ward, E.M., Scolapio, J.S. et al. Glucagon for the Relief of Esophageal Food Impaction Does It Really Work?. Dig Dis Sci 51, 1930–1933 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-006-9221-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-006-9221-2