| 17416285 |
Grijalva I, Guizar-Sahagun G, Rodriguez-Pacheco D, Francisco-Arguelles C, Castaneda-Hernandez G, Palma-Aguirre JA: Gastric emptying effect by 4-aminopyridine in patients with chronic spinal cord injury. Arch Med Res. 2007 May;38(4):392-7. Epub 2007 Mar 12.
BACKGROUND: 4-Aminopyridine (4-AP) given to patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) has shown beneficial effects in some somatic and autonomic functions, although patients often develop dyspeptic symptoms. 4-AP is a potassium-channel blocker capable of altering gastro-pyloric functions as demonstrated experimentally. Our objective was to examine the influence of 4-AP treatment on gastric emptying in patients with chronic SCI. METHODS: Gastric emptying was measured by the acetaminophen absorption test in 18 patients (9 with cervical and 9 with thoracic injury), and 9 healthy volunteers. Patients received increasing oral doses, 5 mg day (-1) of oral 4-AP (5-30 mg day (-1)), for 12 weeks. Patients were studied before and at the end of the last week of 4-AP treatment, whereas healthy volunteers (without 4-AP treatment) were studied only once. Whole blood samples of 2.5 mL were drawn at 0 (before 1 g of oral acetaminophen) and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 and 120 min postdose. Acetaminophen concentration in plasma was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Treatment with 4-AP significantly delayed stomach emptying in patients with chronic SCI, considering the significant decreasing of acetaminophen absorption (t paired test, p <0.05). This effect did not correlate either to the level or ASIA score of the injury (linear regression correlation analysis, r (2) = 0.003 and 0.015, respectively). No significant differences were observed by comparing data of patients before 4-AP treatment with healthy volunteers. CONCLUSIONS: 4-AP intake in patients with chronic spinal cord injury significantly slowed gastric emptying regardless of level and ASIA score of the injury. |
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