Effect of omeprazole on interdigestive gastroduodenal motility of patientswith ulcer-like dyspepsia

BACKGROUND/AIMS: As omeprazole, an antisecretory drug, is largely used in t he treatment of acid-related diseases, we investigated its effects on the i nterdigestive gastroduodenal motility of ulcer-like dyspepsia. METHODOLOGY: Gastroduodenal motility was recorded manometrically in 9 patie nts complaining of ulcer-like dyspepsia with normal gastric emptying at sci ntigraphy, without ulcerative lesions and H. pylori infection at endoscopy, and without diseases known to affect gut motility (group ULD), and in a gr oup of 9 healthy subjects as control (group C). After a period sufficient t o record two consecutive phases III of the migrating motor complex (MMC) in patients of group ULD, omeprazole 20mg was infused intravenously 30min aft er the end of the last duodenal phase In: and the recording was continued t o the next one. RESULTS: With respect to the control group, the group ULD showed a signific antly longer MMC cycle duration, a frequent absence of gastric phases III a nd a shorter duration of duodenal phases III. Omeprazole administration in group ULD was followed after 18.9+/-8.5min by a typical gastroduodenal phas e III and, consequently, the duration of the omeprazole-related cycle was s ignificantly shortened. These omeprazole-related phases III started from th e stomach in nearly all cases and showed a significantly longer duration at the duodenal level with respect to the spontaneous ones. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ulcer-like dyspepsia showed a decrease in freque ncy and duration of gastroduodenal phases III. The omeprazole intravenous a dministration induced the anticipated appearance of an apparently normal ga stroduodenal phase III, probably by suppressing the inhibitory action of ac id secretion.