Does the "Dumping Syndrome" occur in Jamaicans?

ABSTRACT

In order to test whether the "dumping" syndrome occurs in Jamaicans after gastric surgery, we studied 48 patients and six normal volunteers. Subjective assessment and objective testing were carried out after a standard hypertonic (provocative) glucose meal. Serial packed cell volume estimations were carried out, and the percentage fall in plasma volume (an indication of dumping) was calculated from a standard equation. Forty percent of patients reported symptoms of dumping after gastric surgery, and even more (55 percent) had a significant fall in plasma volume. The syndrome occured most commonly after gastric resection or a drainage procedure, and was least prevalent after the operation of highly selective vagotomy (AU)