Effects of gender and menstrual cycle on colon transit time in healthy volunteers

Jung, Hye Kyung; Kim, Doe Young; Moon, Il Hwan

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Measuring of colon transit time (CTT) by radiopaque marker is simple, widely available and important for the diagnosis of slow transit constipation. In spite of recently increasing use of a domestically manufactured radiopaque marker, KolomarkTM in Korea, we lack normative data about CTT which can be obtained by KolomarkTM. Moreover, the effect of gender or menstrual cycle on CTT seems to be still controversial. We tried to measure CTT in healthy volunteers and to compare the effect of gender and menstrual cycle on CTT.
METHODS
Forty-two healthy volunteers (21 M, 21 F) were recruited through a hospital advertisement. CTT was measured by a KolomarkTM, according to Metcalf's method. Average daily intake of dietary fiber was estimated and menstrual history was acquired from female volunteers whose serum progesterone and estradiole levels were measured by radioimmunoassay.
RESULTS
The mean total CTT of 42 healthy volunteers was 26.5+/-19.4 hours. The mean total CTT of male volunteers showed a faster trend than that of female volunteers, however, there was no statistical significance. The mean left CTT was significantly longer in female volunteers than in male volunteers. The mean total CTT of 11 female volunteers in luteal phase (40.9+/-19.0 h) was significantly longer than that of 10 female volunteers in follicular phase (20.6+/-19.2 h, p<0.05). The serum progesterone level, age, BMI and the average daily intake of dietary fiber were not correlated with total CTT.
CONCLUSION
Even though total CTT was not significantly different between male and female volunteers, female volunteers in luteal phase showed more prolonged CTT than those in follicular phase.