Abnormal Gastric Motor Function in Viral Gastroenteritis

doi:10.1059/0003-4819-92-3-370

Abnormal Gastric Motor Function in Viral Gastroenteritis

Boston, West Roxbury, and Worcester, Massachusetts; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Abstract

Nausea and vomiting occur commonly with gastroenteritis caused by parvovirus-like agents. Infection results in histologic injury to the small bowel mucosa, but the gastric mucosa remains unaffected. We have studied gastric emptying of liquids serially in 10 volunteers before and after ingestion of the parvovirus-like agents, Norwalk and Hawaii viruses. The five subjects who developed illness all showed marked delays in gastric emptying, while the five well subjects had no alteration of emptying. Five additional volunteers who developed Norwalk virus gastroenteritis underwent serial studies of gastric secretion of hydrochloric acid, pepsin, and intrinsic factor. No change was detected in either basal or betazole-stimulated secretion of these three substances during the course of illness. The nausea and vomiting accompanying this type of viral gastroenteritis may result from abnormal gastric motor function.

Article and Author Information

▸From the Departments of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, and West Roxbury Veterans Administration Medical Center, Boston and West Roxbury, Massachusetts; the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts; and the University of Oklahoma Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Grant support: by the Veterans Administration, by grants AM 17537 and RR 00888 from the National Institutes of Health, and by contract no. DAMD 17-76-C-6052 from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command.
▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to David S. Schreiber, M.D.; Medical Service, Veterans Administration Hospital, 1400 Veterans of Foreign Wars Parkway; West Roxbury, MA 02132.
- Received June 28, 1979.
- Accepted December 6, 1979.