Intestinal dysmotility syndromes in the elderly: measurement of orocecal transit time
Piccione, P.R.; Holt, P.R.; Culpepper-Morgan, J.A.; Paris, P.; O'Bryan, L.; Ferdinands, L.; Kreek, M.J.
American Journal of Gastroenterology 85(2): 161-164
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9270 PMID: 2301338 Document Number: 351773
Altered bowel habits are common symptoms in the elderly, yet the pathophysiology of age-related gastrointestinal dysmotility syndromes is poorly understood. The present study was designed to correlate changes in orocecal transit time (TT) in healthy elderly subjects with or without gastrointestinal dysmotility complaints. Twenty-two geriatric facility resident volunteers, mean age 82 yr (range 65-94 yr) participated, of whom 16 had gastrointestinal dysmotility symptoms. Orocecal TT in the elderly subjects did not differ from that in younger adult controls (100 +/- 11 min vs 93 +/- 20 min). However, orocecal TT was longer in geriatric females (112 +/- 14 min) than in males (70 +/- 6 min, p less than 0.01). We conclude that age alone does not prolong orocecal TT, except when dysmotility symptoms have been present for a prolonged period.