Effect of Acute Hyperglycemia on Jejunal Compliance and Peristaltic Reflex in Healthy Humans

Acute hyperglycemia has been shown to affectgastric motor function and colonic peristaltic reflex,but little is known about its effects on the smallbowel. Our aim was to determine the effect ofexperimentally induced acute hyperglycemia on small bowelcompliance and peristaltic reflex. Ten healthy subjectswere studied during euglycemia and inducedhyperglycemia. Sequential balloon inflation in thejejunum was used to determine pressure-volumerelationships. The frequency of jejunal contractions andmotility index proximal and distal to a distendingballoon were measured for assessment of the peristalticreflex. The intestinal pressure-volume relationship wasnot affected by hyperglycemia (In pressure/volume 0.084± 0.006 vs 0.096 ± 0.006, P = 0.19).During hyperglycemia, there was significantly moredistal inhibition of frequency of contractions (51.0 ±26.6% vs 26.7 ± 22.3%, P < 0.05) and ofmotility index (18.8 ± 10.8% and 10 ± 6.4,P < 0.05) in response to balloon inflation. Weconclude that in the small bowel of healthy subjects, experimentallyinduced acute hyperglycemia has no effect on complianceand little effect on enteric nerve function.