A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of omeprazole on characteristics of the migrating motor complex in healthy volunteers.

The aim of the study was to investigate a possible effect of omeprazole on the characteristics of the migrating motor complex. The study was performed as a double-blind crossover study and the pressure recordings were performed after 3 days of treatment with placebo or omeprazole 40 mg o.m. The calculations were based on 5 h of recording in each subject and in both investigations. There were two characteristics in the omeprazole group which were significantly different from placebo. Firstly, duodenal phase III was more often accompanied by an antral phase III and secondly, the duration of duodenal phase III was increased. The results suggest that the rapid cleaning mechanism, represented by phase III activity, is more pronounced after omeprazole treatment, possibly arising from its antisecretory effect.