A STUDY OF COLONIC MOTILITY AND ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY IN PROGRESSIVE SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

Abstract

Progressive systemic sclerosis alters smooth muscle function throughout the gastrointestinal tract. In 7 consecutive patients with the disease were measured colonic electrical activity and contractive activity at the same time. We improved the biopolar silver-silver chloride electrodes at the top of the biopsy forcep. This was clipped on the colonic mucosa at 15cm from the anus with the pressure catheter, 2mm in diameter, through the rectal scope. The catheter was not perfused and the pressure was transmitted to transducer (statham p50). All patients and subjects fasted at least 12hr before the study. Basal recordings were performed for 30min and following the administration of neostigmin, recordings were continued for 60min. The slow wave activity was present all of the recording time and occured two frequency 2.9-4cycle/min and 6-7cycle/min by the frequency analysis of histogram. In normal subjects the predominant slow wave frequency was 6-7.5cycle/min. Three patients of PSS was revealed remarkably low colonic pressure and not responsed to neostigmin injection This was related to the esophageal pressure measured at the same time. In two patients, low colonic pressure, the slow wave frequency, 2.9-4cycle/min was increased. According to measurament of the colonic motility and slow wave. We can diagnose thecolonic dysfunction at the early stage not appeared in x-ray findings. It is concluded that this method is easy, painless and effective for studies of functional and organic disorders of the colon.