Colonic Motility in Constipation or Diarrhoea

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Abstract
Intraluminal colonic pressures were measured at 20, 15 and 10 cm from the anal margin in 26 patients with constipation or diarrhoea before, during, and after a meal, and following parenteral prostigmine. Fasting activity was significantly lower in diarrhoea than in constipation. Constipated patients had no significant response during or after food, but in diarrhoeal subjects a striking increase of activity during, with an immediate return to basal levels after, the meal, was recorded. Colonic activity increased markedly in all subjects after prostigmine, but this response differed from that to food. and the distally decreasing gradient of activity was absent in constipation. The results show differences of colonic motility in. and suggest a possible mechanism for, diarrhoea and constipation.