Colonic contractions and diverticular disease

Contractions of the left colon, augmented by ceruletide, a drug which mimics the postprandial production of cholecystokinin, were studied fluoroscopically on single and double contrast barium enema in patients with diverticular disease (with and without constipation) and, as a control, in patients without abnormalities of the colon (with and without constipation). Patients with diverticular disease showed contractions more often than controls. Propulsion showed a difference between controls and patients, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. However, propulsion was statistically significantly more often seen in subjects without constipation. Compared with controls without constipation, segmentation and retropulsion occured more often in patients, in constipation, and in patients without constipation. Segmentation, but not retropulsion, occured more often in constipated patients than in constipated controls. These findings suggest that segmentation is of more importance than retropulsion in diverticular disease and that both retropulsion and segmentation are of importance in constipation.