Gastric Emptying in Infants

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Abstract
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study we measured the effect of 1 mg/kg intravenous metoclopramide on the gastric emptying of a 15 ml/kg 5% glucose meal, using a phenol red dye dilution technique. In a group of nine infants referred for multiple daily episodes of regurgitation, metoclopramide doubled the rate of gastric emptying (p < 0.02). In six infants with prolonged gastroparesis following abdominal surgery, metoclopramide more than doubled the rate of gastric emptying (p < 0.05). In contrast, in seven infants with gastroparesis related to prematurity, metoclopramide did not significantly change gastric emptying. No extrapyramidal side effects of metoclopramide occurred during the study.