PROLONGED AMBULATORY DUODENOJEJUNAL MANOMETRY IN HUMANS - NORMAL VALUES AND GENDER EFFECT

Objective: The aim of this study was to provide a detailed comparison of motor activity in the duodenum and jejunum and between men and wome n studied by prolonged ambulatory manometry. Methods: Thirty healthy v olunteers (17 males) underwent prolonged ambulatory recording of duode no-jejunal motility using a catheter with five built-in strain-gauge t ransducers (two duodenal and three jejunal), Manometric data was obtai ned during an extended period of fasting, the postprandial period and during sleep. Results: There was a wide range of durations of the migr ating motor complex (MMC), but at least one phase III was detected dur ing 6 h of fasting, or 6 h of sleep in each subject (0.52 +/- 0.04 pha se III/hour during fasting vs 0.59 +/- 0.04 during sleep, p = 0.1). Th ere was marked variation in the duration and pattern of phase III. Pos tprandially, frequency of contractions and motility index were maximal in the first 2 h after the meal, in both the duodenum and jejunum, Th ere were no substantive differences between males and females or betwe en the duodenum and jejunum, Conclusion: We conclude that upper small bowel motility is little affected by gender or segment. (Am J Gastroen terol 1998;93:1318-1323. (C) 1998 by Am. Coll. of Gastroenterology).