Citation

Marino LV, Kiratu EM, French S, Nathoo N. Br. J. Neurosurg. 2003; 17(1): 24-28.

Affiliation

Department of Dietetics, Wentworth Hospital, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12779198

Abstract

To determine the effect of 8-hourly administration of 10 mg intravenous metoclopramide, over a 48-h period on gastric emptying in severe head injury (SHI), 22 patients were prospectively randomized (Glasgow Coma Score of 3-8) to receive 2 ml of intravenous metoclopramide or 2 ml of 5% saline 8-hourly for 48 h. Baseline and serial blood paracetamol absorption assays were performed at time (t) = 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min on day 0 and day 2. The area under the curve between the day 0 and day 2 was used to measure the degree of gastric emptying. In SHI, sequential doses of metoclopramide did not appear to improve gastric motility within subject comparisons (p = 0.65) and between subject comparisons (placebo p = 0.4 and drug p = 0.12). Metoclopramide has no significant prokinetic effect on gastric emptying in SHI patients when given in the early postinjury period.

Language: en