ABSTRACT
The objective of this paper was to compare the effects of metoclopramide (MTC) and of metopimazine (MTP) on intestinal motility in normal subjects in the period between digestion by injecting these two agents at a well-defined time of the migrating motor complex (MMC). Duodenojejunal motility was recorded by manometry (four microperfused catheters; study segment: 30 cm) during the period between phases of digestion (fasting greater than 12 hrs), for 4.6 hrs on average (3, 4, 6 hrs). 14 normal volunteer subjects (6 males, and 8 females 19 to 49 years of age) were randomly assigned to 2 study groups and were given MTC (10 mg) or MTP (10 mg) in slow IV injection (5 mins.) at a controlled rate, performed 25 mins after onset of a phase 3 (P3) in the study segment. As a reference, results obtained in a control group of seven subjects recorded under the same conditions are reported, in addition. Changes in MMC were evaluated in each group by the mean number of P3 hourly and the percent of subjects presenting a P3 within the two hours following injection of the test drug. Variations in phase 2 type motility (P2) were measured using motility indices (MI): the sum of the amplitudes, number of waves, per 5 minute interval. The number of hourly P3 was 0.40 for MTC vs 0.28 for MTP (control 0.47); 90 minutes after an injection, the first P3 appeared in 71% of patients in the MTC groups vs. 14% in the MTP group (control 57%). P3 recorded following injection were not different from the preceding in both groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)