ALTERED SMALL-BOWEL MOTILITY IN PATIENTS WITH LIVER-CIRRHOSIS DEPENDSON SEVERITY OF LIVER-DISEASE

Abnormal small bowel motility has been described in patients with live r cirrhosis but the mechanisms involved are unknown. The aim was to in vestigate a possible relationship between the severity of liver failur e and the intensity of small intestinal abnormalities. Motility was st udied during fasting, by means of perfused catheters and external tran sducers, on 33 cirrhotics with different etiologies; 8 were at Child-P ugh stage A, 12 stage B, and 13 stage C. Both abnormalities of MMC and increased clustered activity were recorded. Absence of cycling activi ty was most frequently observed in Child-Pugh stage C patients compare d to Child-Pugh stage A cirrhotics. A significant increase in clustere d contractions from 4.7 +/- 0.4/hr in stage A patients to 11.3 +/- 1.1 in stage C was recorded. The frequency and amplitude of contractions was also increased from Child-Pugh stage A to stage C. Our findings mi ght be related to a delayed transit time observed in these patients an d a higher prevalence of bacterial overgrowth in cirrhotics with more advanced liver disease.