Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of cisplatin (DDP) on gastric myoelectrical activity and the roles of gastric electrical stimulation (GES) in the treatment of drug-induced emesis in dogs.
Methods: Four pairs of electrodes were implanted in gastric serosa in seven female dogs, all dogs performed followed two-session study: intravenous infusion of DDP (1.5 mg/kg) was given for 1 h in DDP-control session and DDP-GES session. Trains of short pulses GES was applied on the proximal pair of gastric electrodes from drugs infusion. It lasted 6 h in GES session. Gastric slow waves and animal behaviors were recorded in each session.
Results: (1) DDP induced nausea and gastric dysrhythmia. The total number of emesis was 5.5 +/- 1.2 in DDP-control session, and the total symptom score was 31.83 +/- 2.75. The gastric slow wave showed both bradygastria and tachygastria during the period of emesis (P = 0.031 and 0.020 vs baseline). The percentage of normal slow wave was (69.61 +/- 5.81)% during this period (P = 0.003 vs baseline). (2) GES reduced emesis and the animal behavioral score suggestive of nausea compared with DDP-control sessions. The total behavioral score and total number of emesis decreased in this session (all the P < 0.05). However, GES had no effects on gastric dysrhythmia.
Conclusions: DDP induced emesis and gastric dysrhythmia. GES with trains of short pulses relieves drug-induced emetic responses but has no effects on dysrhythmia.