A Clinical Evaluation of the Apomorphine Test

Abstract

Axelsson, C., Mortensen, E. & Schwartz, H. A clinical evaluation of the apomorphine test. Scand. J. Gastroent. 1973, 8, 751-754.

In order to evaluate the reliability of the apomorphine test to reveal dumping disposition in ulcer patients preoperatively, an apomorphine test (0.5 mg) was performed in 118 patients prospective for gastric surgery. The result of the test did not influence the choice of treatment. The prevalence of dumping symptoms was stated at follow-up at least half a year after surgery. 95 of the patients who had been operated on were re-examined. Three patients showed positive reactions at the preoperative apomorphine test. In two of these pa-tients repeated tests suggested ‘moderate’ and ‘severe’ dumping dispositions respectively. The third patient was operated on before the test could be re-peated. Postoperatively none of these patients, operated on with the pylorus-destructive operation, had any dumping symptoms. 92 patients showed no reaction at the preoperative apomorphine test. At the follow-up two of these patients had severe, two moderate, and four slight, dumping symptoms. These 8 patients were all found among the 57 patients who had been operated on with the pylorus-destructive operation. It is concluded that the apomorphine test in its present form is not a reliable test to reveal dumping disposition preoperatively in ulcer patients.

Key-words::

• Apomorphine
• dumping syndrome
• stomach