TY - JOUR
T1 - SmartPill™ Administration to Assess Gastrointestinal Function after Spinal Cord Injury in a Porcine Model—A Preliminary Study
AU - Knibbe, Chase A.
AU - Ahmed, Rakib Uddin
AU - Wilkins, Felicia
AU - Sharma, Mayur
AU - Ethridge, Jay
AU - Morgan, Monique
AU - Gibson, Destiny
AU - Cooper, Kimberly B.
AU - Howland, Dena R.
AU - Vadhanam, Manicka V.
AU - Barve, Shirish S.
AU - Davison, Steven
AU - Sherwood, Leslie C.
AU - Semler, Jack
AU - Abell, Thomas
AU - Boakye, Maxwell
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Gastrointestinal (GI) complications, including motility disorders, metabolic deficiencies, and changes in gut microbiota following spinal cord injury (SCI), are associated with poor outcomes. After SCI, the autonomic nervous system becomes unbalanced below the level of injury and can lead to severe GI dysfunction. The SmartPill™ is a non-invasive capsule that, when ingested, transmits pH, temperature, and pressure readings that can be used to assess effects in GI function post-injury. Our minipig model allows us to assess these post-injury changes to optimize interventions and ultimately improve GI function. The aim of this study was to compare pre-injury to post-injury transit times, pH, and pressures in sections of GI tract by utilizing the SmartPill™ in three pigs after SCI at 2 and 6 weeks. Tributyrin was administered to two pigs to assess the influences on their gut microenvironment. We observed prolonged GET (Gastric Emptying Time) and CTT (Colon Transit Time), decreases in contraction frequencies (Con freq) in the antrum of the stomach, colon, and decreases in duodenal pressures post-injury. We noted increases in Sum amp generated at 2 weeks post-injury in the colon, with corresponding decreases in Con freq. We found transient changes in pH in the colon and small intestine at 2 weeks post-injury, with minimal effect on stomach pH post-injury. Prolonged GETs and CTTs can influence the absorptive profile in the gut and contribute to pathology development. This is the first pilot study to administer the SmartPill™ in minipigs in the context of SCI. Further investigations will elucidate these trends and characterize post-SCI GI function.
AB - Gastrointestinal (GI) complications, including motility disorders, metabolic deficiencies, and changes in gut microbiota following spinal cord injury (SCI), are associated with poor outcomes. After SCI, the autonomic nervous system becomes unbalanced below the level of injury and can lead to severe GI dysfunction. The SmartPill™ is a non-invasive capsule that, when ingested, transmits pH, temperature, and pressure readings that can be used to assess effects in GI function post-injury. Our minipig model allows us to assess these post-injury changes to optimize interventions and ultimately improve GI function. The aim of this study was to compare pre-injury to post-injury transit times, pH, and pressures in sections of GI tract by utilizing the SmartPill™ in three pigs after SCI at 2 and 6 weeks. Tributyrin was administered to two pigs to assess the influences on their gut microenvironment. We observed prolonged GET (Gastric Emptying Time) and CTT (Colon Transit Time), decreases in contraction frequencies (Con freq) in the antrum of the stomach, colon, and decreases in duodenal pressures post-injury. We noted increases in Sum amp generated at 2 weeks post-injury in the colon, with corresponding decreases in Con freq. We found transient changes in pH in the colon and small intestine at 2 weeks post-injury, with minimal effect on stomach pH post-injury. Prolonged GETs and CTTs can influence the absorptive profile in the gut and contribute to pathology development. This is the first pilot study to administer the SmartPill™ in minipigs in the context of SCI. Further investigations will elucidate these trends and characterize post-SCI GI function.
KW - SmartPill™, wireless motility capsule
KW - gastrointestinal motility
KW - porcine model
KW - spinal cord injury
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85163841934&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85163841934&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/biomedicines11061660
DO - 10.3390/biomedicines11061660
M3 - Article
C2 - 37371755
AN - SCOPUS:85163841934
SN - 2227-9059
VL - 11
JO - Biomedicines
JF - Biomedicines
IS - 6
M1 - 1660
ER -