Aim: The mechanisms responsible for bowel disturbances in celiac disease are still unknown. Small bowel motor abnormalities may be involved in this pathological condition; however, there is no study addressing small bowel transit in patients of celiac disease from Northern India.
Method: The mouth-to-cecum transit time was studied in 80 celiac patients and 80 age and sex matched apparently healthy controls.
Results: Orocecal transit time in celiac patients was significantly delayed being 180+/-10.6 minutes (Mean+/-SE) as compared to 105+/-12.4 minutes in apparently healthy controls.
Conclusion: This prolonged orocecal transit time could be due to impaired small bowel function (deranged motility) in patients with celiac disease.