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Effect of single dose of oral erythromycin on gastric and gallbladder emptying

Simultaneous assessment by ultrasound

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Abstract

To evaluate the effects of a single oral dose of erythromycin on gastric and gallbladder emptying, 10 volunteers, without a known history of gastrointestinal disease, were investigated. Erythromycin stearate (500 mg) or placebo was given on separate mornings 30 min before a standard solid meal in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Gastric and gallbladder emptying rates were simultaneously evaluated by means of real-time ultrasonography. Gastric antral area and gallbladder volume were determined before the meal and 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, and 300 min after commencing eating. Erythromycin, compared to placebo, significantly accelerates and increases the degree of both gastric and gallbladder emptying. As previously reported for intravenous and chronic oral assumption, also a single dose of oral erythromycin is able to accelerate gastric and gallbladder emptying in normal human subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. From Patologia Medica I, University of Bologna, Italy

    Vincenzo Arienti MD, Fabio Magri MD, Luciana Boriani MD, Giovanni Maconi MD, Leona Bassein MIS, Mario Baraldini MD, Leonardo Marzio MD & Giovanni Gasbarrini MD

  2. Servizio di Farmacologia Clinica e Terapia, Policlinico S. Orsola, Bologna

    Vincenzo Arienti MD, Fabio Magri MD, Luciana Boriani MD, Giovanni Maconi MD, Leona Bassein MIS, Mario Baraldini MD, Leonardo Marzio MD & Giovanni Gasbarrini MD

  3. Istituto di Fisiopatologia Medica, University of Chieti, Italy

    Vincenzo Arienti MD, Fabio Magri MD, Luciana Boriani MD, Giovanni Maconi MD, Leona Bassein MIS, Mario Baraldini MD, Leonardo Marzio MD & Giovanni Gasbarrini MD

Authors
  1. Vincenzo Arienti MD
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  2. Fabio Magri MD
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  3. Luciana Boriani MD
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  4. Giovanni Maconi MD
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  5. Leona Bassein MIS
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  6. Mario Baraldini MD
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  7. Leonardo Marzio MD
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  8. Giovanni Gasbarrini MD
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Additional information

MIS: Member of Institute of Statisticians.

This work was partially supported by a grant from Ministero dell'Universita e della Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica (fondi 60%).

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Arienti, V., Magri, F., Boriani, L. et al. Effect of single dose of oral erythromycin on gastric and gallbladder emptying. Digest Dis Sci 39, 1309–1312 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02093798

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02093798

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