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  • Title: Chronic alcoholics retain dyspeptic symptoms, pan-enteric dysmotility, and autonomic neuropathy before and after abstinence.
    Author: Di Ciaula A, Grattagliano I, Portincasa P.
    Journal: J Dig Dis; 2016 Nov; 17(11):735-746. PubMed ID: 27684550.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: To carry out a comprehensive study on gastrointestinal symptoms, motility and autonomic neuropathy in chronic alcoholics before and one year after abstinence. METHODS: Dyspeptic symptoms (questionnaires), fasting and postprandial gallbladder and gastric motility (ultrasonography), oro-cecal transit time (lactulose H2 -breath test), stool form score (indirect marker of colonic transit), and autonomic neuropathy (sweat spot test, R-R ratio) were assessed at baseline in 268 subjects (136 chronic alcoholics and 132 healthy controls). A subgroup of 39 patients was re-evaluated after 12 months of abstinence. RESULTS: Chronic alcoholics had increased dyspepsia, delayed gastric emptying and oro-cecal transit time but faster gallbladder emptying, with slightly accelerated colonic transit. Sympathetic, but not parasympathetic, autonomic dysfunction was found. Dyspeptic symptoms and functional alterations of gastric emptying and oro-cecal transit tests were still present after 12-month abstinence, whereas gallbladder motility, stool form score and sympathetic function improved. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic alcoholics exhibit combined and interdependent presence of dyspeptic symptoms, impaired motility at different levels of the gastrointestinal tract, with sympathetic dysfunction. Only a few of these abnormalities improve after one year of abstinence from alcohol.
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