Enhanced gastroduodenal motility in children

D. C. Hitch, J. J. Vanhoutte and R. B. Torres-Pinedo

Metoclopramide hydrochloride was administered to nine children for the treatment of gastric stasis (N=6) and unexplained vomiting (N=3). One additional patient with gastric stasis displayed no response to the test dose of metoclopramide. Both the frequency and apparent forcefulness of the gastric and duodenal waves increased with the administration of metoclopramide in the nine patients receiving treatment. Eight clinical aspects were monitored, with improvement seen in all during therapy; the rates of both improvement and freedom from symptoms were time dependent. After one month, the median rate of improvement in individual symptoms was 86%, and the median rate of freedom from symptoms was 54%. Only two of the nine patients became totally asymptomatic within the month. However, sustained improvement was maintained after discontinuance of metoclopramide administration. Within the administered dosages and within the study population, metoclopramide was found to be safe.