Antroduodenal motility and gastric emptying. Gastroduodenal motility and pH following ingestion of paracetamol

Acetaminophen overdose associated with double serum concentration peaks

Acetaminophen is the most commonly used analgesic–antipyretic medication in the United States. Acetaminophen overdose, a frequent cause of drug toxicity, has been recognized as the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal hepatic necrosis. N-Acetylcysteine is the recommended antidote for acetaminophen poisoning. Despite evidence on the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine for prevention of hepatic injury, controversy persists about the optimal duration of the therapy. Here, we describe the case of a 65-year-old male with acetaminophen overdose and opioid co-ingestion who developed a second peak in acetaminophen serum levels after completing the recommended 21-hour intravenous N-acetylcysteine protocol and when the standard criteria for monitoring drug levels was achieved. Prolongation of N-acetylcysteine infusion beyond the standard protocol, despite a significant gap in treatment, was critical for successful avoidance of hepatotoxicity. Delay in acetaminophen absorption may be associated with a second peak in serum concentration following an initial declining trend, especially in cases of concomitant ingestion of opioids. In patients with acetaminophen toxicity who co-ingest other medications that may potentially delay gastric emptying or in those with risk factors for delayed absorption of acetaminophen, we recommend close monitoring of aminotransferase enzyme levels, as well as trending acetaminophen concentrations until undetectable before discontinuing the antidote therapy.

Acetaminophen Overdose with Altered Acetaminophen Pharmacokinetics and Hepatotoxicity Associated with Premature Cessation of Intravenous N-Acetylcysteine Therapy

Objective

To report a case of erratic absorption, double peak serum concentrations, and hepatotoxicity following premature cessation of intravenous N-acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment in the setting of a massive acetaminophen overdose.

Case Summary:

A 78-year-old man reportedly ingested approximately 96 immediate-release acetaminophen 500-mg tablets (48 g) over a one-hour period in an apparent suicide attempt. The acetaminophen concentration at 2.25 hours was 264 μg/mL. Intravenous NAC was initiated 5 hours postingestion. At 6.25 hours postingestion, the acetaminophen concentration was 281 μg/mL. Following administration of intravenous NAC for 21 hours, therapy was discontinued despite a residual acetaminophen concentration of 116 μg/mL. The patient experienced hepatotoxicity, coagulopathy, and renal injury. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed significantly prolonged acetaminophen absorption and a second peak acetaminophen concentration of 228 μg/mL approximately 48 hours post ingestion. Direct in-hospital monitoring of the patient made a second ingestion unlikely.

Discussion:

Acetaminophen overdose is usually effectively managed with NAC. Patients with massive ingestions may have altered absorption kinetics due to acetaminophen's solubility being exceeded, physiologically or chemically altered gastrointestinal emptying or motility, or other factors. These patients may benefit from gastrointestinal decontamination and prolonged NAC therapy.

Conclusions:

In patients with massive acetaminophen ingestion, erratic absorption may occur, and toxic serum concentrations may persist beyond a standard 21–hour course of intravenous NAC therapy. Acetaminophen concentrations and aminotransferase levels should be evaluated at the completion of the intravenous NAC infusion to ensure complete elimination of acetaminophen and absence of hepatotoxicity and to exclude the need lor prolonged treatment.

Absorption and retention of nickel from drinking water in relation to food intake and nickel sensitivity

Two studies were performed to examine the influence of fasting and food intake on the absorption and retention of nickel added to drinking water and to determine if nickel sensitization played any role in this regard. First, eight nonallergic male volunteers fasted overnight before being given nickel in drinking water (12 micrograms Ni/kg) and, at different time intervals, standardized 1400-kJ portions of scrambled eggs. When nickel was ingested in water 30 min or 1 h prior to the meal, peak nickel concentrations in serum occurred 1 h after the water intake, and the peak was 13-fold higher than the one seen 1 h after simultaneous intake of nickel-containing water and scrambled eggs. In the latter case, a smaller, delayed peak occurred 3 h after the meal. Median urinary nickel excretion half-times varied between 19.9 and 26.7 h. Within 3 days, the amount of nickel excreted corresponded to 2.5% of the nickel ingested when it was mixed into the scrambled eggs. Increasing amounts were excreted as the interval between the water and the meal increased, with 25.8% of the administered dose being excreted when the eggs were served 4 h prior to the nickel-containing drinking water. In the second experiment, a stable nickel isotope, 61Ni, was given in drinking water to 20 nickel-sensitized women and 20 age-matched controls, both groups having vesicular hand eczema of the pompholyx type. Nine of 20 nickel allergic eczema patients experienced aggravation of hand eczema after nickel administration, and three also developed a maculopapular exanthema. No exacerbation was seen in the control group. The course of nickel absorption and excretion in the allergic groups did not differ and was similar to the pattern seen in the first study, although the absorption in the women was less. A sex-related difference in gastric emptying rates may play a role. Thus, food intake and gastric emptying are of substantial significance for the bioavailability of nickel from aqueous solutions.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled study on effects of diclofenac sodium and indomethacin on postprandial gastric motility in man

Data from animal studies suggest that NSAIDs-induced gastric damage may be due to increased gastric motility. Such a mechanism, however, has never been tested or demonstrated in man. We evaluated the effects of two frequently prescribed NSAIDs, indomethacin and diclofenac sodium, on postprandial gastric motor activity (a physiologically reproducible stimulus) in healthy volunteers to see whether these compounds increase gastric motility. Twenty-four healthy volunteers of both sexes, 21-35 years of age, underwent a basal gastric motility recording. Thereafter, they were randomized in three groups to receive either placebo, indomethacin (50 mg three times a day) or diclofenac sodium (50 mg three times a day) for a week. At the end of the week, they underwent an identical manometric study. Analysis of the motility tracings showed no difference in gastric antral motility index and in amplitude of gastric antral contractions after NSAIDs with respect to the basal study and to the placebo group. About 50% of subjects (two in the placebo group) complained of side effects. These were transient and mild, except in two subjects taking indomethacin, in whom endoscopy was necessary; one of these had a small prepyloric ulcer. It is concluded that in man NSAID-related gastric damage is unlikely to be due to increased gastric motility.

The migrating motor complex modulates intestinal motility response and rate of gastric emptying of caloric meals

The present study elucidates whether the phase of the migrating motor complex (MMC) present at the moment of food intake modulates postprandial motor response and rate of gastric emptying of caloric meals. Eight healthy male volunteers with a mean age of 26 years were examined twice. During water-perfused gastroduodenal manometry, a liquid meal with paracetamol added as a marker was orally administered during phase I and late phase II. Paracetamol appeared in serum 14.1 +/- 3.8 min and 9.1 +/- 4.0 (mean +/- SD) min, respectively, after intake of the meal (P < 0.02). The area under the curve of s-paracetamol until 25 min after intake was 232 +/- 169 mumol l-1 min and 362 +/- 130 (P < 0.05), respectively. When taken during late phase II, a phase III-like activity occurred within 2.1 +/- 1.3 min in the duodenum, and was succeeded by quiescence. During phase I, the meal invariably initiated irregular contractions within 4 min. The phase of MMC during which a caloric meal is ingested modulates duodenal motor response and rate of gastric emptying during the initial postprandial period. Initial postprandial motor activity thus represents the combined effect of nutrient stimulation and the underlying enteric biorhythm as reflected by phase of MMC.