Abstract

To establish the pathogenic role of duodenogastric reflux in dyspeptic symptoms we have compared the clinical features, gastrointestinal motility, and rates of duodenogastric bile reflux in 12 cholecistectomized dyspeptic patients, 12 dyspeptic patients with intact gallbladder, and 12 healthy controls. Specific symptoms were scored for severity and frequency. Gastrointestinal manometry was performed during 3 hr of fasting and 2 hr postprandially. Simultaneously, samples of duodenal and gastric contents were obtained sequentially for quantification of bile acids. Results show that symptom global severity (9.6±0.4 vs 8.8±0.7) and frequency (9.9±0.8 vs 9.0±0.5) were similar in both dyspeptic groups; only abdominal pain was milder in cholecystectomized patients (1.9±0.1 vs 2.6±0.2;P<0.05). Fasting gastric bile acid concentrations were higher in cholecystectomized patients (P<0.05) and antral postcibal motility lower (P<0.05) than in the other groups. No relation among gastric hypomotility, duodenogastric bile reflux, and symptom scores was detected. We concluded that patients with functional dyspepsia and a prior cholecystectomy have clinical features similar to those with gallbladders, but some physiological features are dissimilar: antral motility is decreased and duodenogastric bile reflux is increased. Thus, a uniform clinical expression of various pathophysiological disturbances constitutes the basis of functional dyspepsia.