Effect of motilin on gastric emptying in patients with diabetic gastroparesis

OBJECTIVES: Because disturbances of gastric emptying are a serious complication in insulin-dependent diabetic subjects with regard to the maintenance of good metabolic control, we wanted to assess the effectiveness of motilin as a potential treatment for gastric emptying disturbances. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The intestinal hormone motilin has been shown to accelerate gastric emptying in healthy subjects. Therefore, we examined the effect of intravenous motilin on gastric emptying of a 99mTc colloid-labeled semisolid test meal in 9 insulin-dependent diabetic patients with diabetic gastroparesis. All patients had a significantly delayed gastric emptying rate compared with a group of 11 healthy control subjects. RESULTS: During the infusion of motilin, gastric emptying was accelerated, and it was no longer significantly different from control values. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that motilin and related compounds such as erythromycin derivatives could be useful for the treatment of disturbed gastric emptying in diabetic subjects.