THE EFFECTS OF LEVOSULPIRIDE ON GASTRIC AND GALLBLADDER EMPTYING IN FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA

Background: 50% of patients with functional dyspepsia have delayed gas tric emptying. Levosulpiride is an orthopramide drug that stimulates g astrointestinal motility. Aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of levosulpiride on symptoms and gastric and gall-bladder emptying, in dyspeptic patients. Methods: Thirty adult patients, treated for 20 da ys with levosulpiride (75 mg/day) or placebo, were evaluated in a rand omized double-blind study. Symptoms were assessed by a cumulative inde x and overall intensity (visual analogue line). Gastric and gall-bladd er emptying were evaluated by epigastric impedance (liquid meal) and r eal-time ultrasonography (mixed meal). Results: Levosulpiride, with re spect to placebo, accelerated the mean gastric half-emptying time of l iquids (P < 0.05), gastric emptying (P < 0.001 at 180 min; P < 0.05 at 240 min), and gall-bladder emptying (P < 0.05 at 60 and 120 min) empt ying after a solid-liquid mixed meal. Both the mean cumulative index ( P < 0.05) and the overall intensity (P < 0.025) of dyspeptic symptoms were reduced significantly by levosulpiride. Conclusions: Our results showed that levosulpiride can be usefully employed in patients affecte d by functional dyspepsia.