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Effect of D 2 ‐dopamine receptor antagonist levosulpiride on diabetic cholecystoparesis : a double‐blind crossover study
Author(s) -
MANSI C.,
SAVARINO V.,
VIGNERI S.,
SCIABÀ L.,
PERILLI D.,
MELE M. R.,
CELLE G.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.1995.tb00369.x
Subject(s) - medicine , crossover study , placebo , diabetes mellitus , gastric emptying , postprandial , domperidone , gastroenterology , endocrinology , urology , dopamine , stomach , pathology , alternative medicine
SUMMARY Background : Abnormal gall‐bladder motility has been reported in diabetics. The objective was to evaluate the effect of chronic D 2 ‐dopamine receptor inhibition on gall‐bladder emptying in diabetic patients. Methods : Under double‐blind placebo‐controlled conditions and according to a crossover design, patients were randomly assigned to receive either 4 weeks treatment with levosulpiride 25 mg t.d.s. or 4 weeks treatment with placebo, with an interval of 15 days. Twenty‐three consecutive long‐standing, insulin‐treated diabetics with autonomic neuropathy were studied. Measurements : At the beginning of the study and after levosulpiride or placebo treatment, gall‐bladder emptying was measured ultrasonically by evaluating the gall‐bladder volume in basal conditions and every 15 min for 90 min after the ingestion of a standard meal. Statistical analysis of the results was performed by means of analysis of variance. Results : Levosulpiride treatment reduced the basal mean gall‐bladder volume from 21.6 ± 2.3 to 18.6 ± 2.3 mL ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, the residual gall‐bladder volume (9.3 ± 1.4 mL) was significantly reduced compared to the corresponding pre‐treatment volume (14.6 ± 1.5 mL ( P < 0.05)). In placebo‐treated patients, no significant differences were observed in gall‐bladder volumes before and after treatment. Conclusion : These results show that chronic oral administration of the D 2 dopamine antagonist levosulpiride has a significant effect on gall‐bladder motility in diabetic patients.