Background: Erythromycin has been proposed as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of functional motor disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, some data exist showing a potential effect on colonic motility.
Aims: Since no data are available concerning erythromycin effects in chronically constipated patients, we investigated the effects of three different doses of the drug (50, 200, and 500 mg i. v.) on colonic intraluminal pressures in such patients.
Patients and methods: 18 severely constipated women were studied by a colonoscopically-positioned manometric probe, and were randomized to receive one of three doses of erythromycin. Proximal and distal colonic motility was recorded basally, then during placebo infusion for 60 min and for a further 60 min after the drug had been infused.
Results: Analysis of the tracings showed that, except for the lowest dose in the distal colon, erythromycin failed to stimulate colonic motility in constipated patients.
Conclusions: It is concluded that erythromycin cannot be considered a colokinetic agent, at least at doses commonly employed in the upper gut.