Influence of gallstones and ursodeoxycholic acid therapy on gallbladder emptying

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Gastroenterology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6472223

Forgacs, I C; Maisey, M N; Murphy, G M; Dowling, R H

Altered gallbladder motility could predispose to, or result from, gallstone formation and could also explain the alleged relief of biliary colic seen during bile acid therapy. Therefore, in 14 controls, 25 patients with radiolucent gallstones, and 14 patients with radiopaque gallstones, the authors used two techniques to measure gallbladder contraction--radionuclide imaging and real-time ultrasound--in response to one of two stimuli--a Lundh meal or intravenous cholecystokinin-octapeptide. Using the radionuclide technique, postprandial gallbladder emptying (t1/2) was prolonged both in patients with radiopaque and radiolucent gallstones when compared with controls. In patients with radiolucent stones, the t1/2 of gallbladder emptying became further prolonged after 1 mo of therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid. A similar pattern of results was seen after cholecystokinin-octapeptide and also with real-time ultrasound. Thus, after both stimuli and using two independent techniques, gallbladder contraction was reduced in patients with gallstones. The slower and less complete gallbladder emptying with ursotherapy might explain the reduction in biliary colic noted during treatment.

• Research Organization: Guy's Hospital and Medical School, London, England
• OSTI ID: 6472223
• Journal Information: Gastroenterology; (United States), Journal Name: Gastroenterology; (United States) Vol. 87:2; ISSN GASTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BILE ACIDS
BILIARY TRACT
CALCULI
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PATIENTS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOISOTOPES
SCINTISCANNING
STEROIDS
STEROLS
TECHNETIUM 99
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
ULTRASONOGRAPHY
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES