Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Gastric Emptying in Patients with an Active Duodenal Ulcer

Abstract

The effect of cigarette smoking on gastric emptying (GE) of a radiolabelled solid meal was examined in 14 patients with an active duodenal ulcer. The patients underwent GE measurement thrice: under basal conditions and for two smoking sessions, without and after cimetidine pretreatment (2 ± 400 mg orally for 2 days and 400 mg orally 1.5 h before the isotropic GE examination) in random order. Cigarette smoking significantly delayed GE (p < 0.05 for both the gastric half emptying time (H) and the mean transit time (MTT₉₀)). The inhibitory effect of smoking on GE was enhanced after cimetidine pretreatment (p < 0.02 for H and p < 0.004 for MTT₉₀, respectively). Potential mechanisms and pathophysiological meaning of the findings are discussed.

Key Words:

• Cigarette smoking
• cimetidine
• duodenal ulcer
• gastric emptying
• nicotine