RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GASTRIC AND GALLBLADDER EMPTYING AND REFILLING IN NORMAL SUBJECTS AND PATIENTS WITH HELICOBACTER-PYLORI-POSITIVE AND HELICOBACTER-PYLORI-NEGATIVE IDIOPATHIC DYSPEPSIA AND CORRELATION WITH SYMPTOMS

Gastric and gallbladder emptying and refilling was studied in 10 norma l subjects and in 38 dyspeptic patients. H. pylori was determined in e ach dyspeptic on mucosal antral biopsy performed during endoscopy, Gas tric and gallbladder emptying was evaluated by real-time ultrasonograp hy, Normal subjects were evaluated after two solid-liquid meals of 340 kcal and 680 kcal, Dyspeptics were studied after the 340-kcal meal on ly. For each subject and patient, minimum gallbladder volume and perce ntage of gastric emptying at this point was determined. Gastric and ga llbladder slope was also drawn, and the crossing point between the two slopes identified. In normal subjects with the 340-kcal and 680-kcal meal, minimum gallbladder volume occurred for a similar percentage of gastric emptying, The crossing point between the two slopes was comput ed at the same percentage of gastric and gallbladder refilling with bo th meals. With the 680-kcal meal, however, peak gallbladder contractio n and the crossing point between the two slopes occurred significantly later than with the 340-kcal meal (P < 0.05). In dyspeptics with the 340-kcal meal, the parameters evaluated were similar to the ones compu ted in controls after the meal of 680-kcal, suggesting delayed gastric emptying and gallbladder refilling. The presence or absence of H. pyl ori and symptom score were not correlated with any of the parameters s tudied.