Gastric Emptying Rate Of Solids Research Articles

Hypoglycaemia increases the gastric emptying rate in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The effect of insulin-induced hypoglycaemia on the gastric emptying rate was studied in eight patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus of short duration (1-5 years). Gastric emptying was studied using a scintigraphic technique. All patients were studied twice, both during euglycaemia and insulin-induced hypoglycaemia. The blood glucose concentration was adjusted with an insulin-glucose clamp technique. All patients were examined in a standardized way, undergoing the first examination during euglycaemia, with a blood glucose concentration of 4-7 mmol l-1, and the second during hypoglycaemia, with a mean blood glucose concentration of 1.9 +/- 0.3 mmol l-1 at the time of starting the gastric emptying study. During hypoglycaemia both the liquid and the solid gastric emptying rates were significantly increased compared to the rate during euglycaemia. The time to empty 50% of the radioactivity from the stomach for liquid was 48.5 +/- 9.8 min during euglycaemia, compared to 27.6 +/- 20.2 min during hypoglycaemia, p < 0.001. The time to empty 50% of the radioactivity from the stomach for solid food was 48.7 +/- 10.3 min and 23.2 +/- 15.9 min, respectively, p < 0.001. In conclusion, it appears that insulin-induced hypoglycaemia increases the gastric emptying rate in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Influence of the menstrual cycle and of menopause on the gastric emptying rate of solids in female volunteers

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the normal menstrual cycle and of menopause on the gastric emptying rate of solids. Gastric emptying was studied in 15 premenopausal and ten postmenopausal women with an isotopic technique after the ingestion of a radiolabelled test meal. Premenopausal women were studied twice: within 1 week prior to menses and again 1 week after onset of menses. Postmenopausal women were studied only once. The emptying curves of the solid component of the meal fitted a linear model. The half-emptying time was 78 +/- 5 min during the follicular phase, 75 +/- 7 min during the luteal phase and 76 +/- 6 min in postmenopausal women (differences not statistically significant). The mean percentages of the meal retained in the stomach at different time intervals were also similar in the three groups. These results suggest that the menstrual cycle does not influence the gastric emptying rate of solids, which remains unchanged in relation to the follicular phase or after menopause.

Measurement of gastric emptying rate of solids by means of a carbon-labeled octanoic acid breath test

Background: The aim of the present study was to develop a breath test for measuring gastric emptying rate of solids that would induce less radiation exposure than radioscintigraphy and would be applicable to field testing. Methods: A test meal was used in which [14C]-octanoic acid was mixed with egg yolk and prepared as a scrambled egg. The test meal was labeled with a second marker, 99mTc-albumin colloid, and simultaneous radioscintigraphic and breath test measurements were performed in 36 subjects, 16 normal controls, and 20 patients with dyspeptic symptoms. Mathematical analysis of the excretion rate of labeled CO2 resulted in the definition of three parameters, i.e., gastric emptying coefficient, gastric half-emptying time, and lag phase. Results: There was an excellent correlation between the gastric emptying coefficient and the scintigraphic half-emptying time (r = −0.88); between the half-emptying time determined by the breath test and the scintigraphic half-emptying time (r = 0.89); and between the lag phases determined by scintigraphy and those determined by breath test (r = 0.92). 14C can be replaced by 13C for labeling the octanoic acid used in the breath test. Conclusions: It is concluded that the octanoic acid breath test is a reliable noninvasive test to measure gastric emptying rate of solids.

13C-Bicarbonate Breath Test as a Measure of Gastric Emptying

Radionuclide studies are widely used to estimate the gastric emptying rate of solids and liquids. Unfortunately, these methods carry the risk of radiation exposure and require expensive and complex equipment. Carbon-13, a stable, nonradioactive isotope, has been used successfully as a marker in the gastrointestinal tract for other purposes. A preliminary study using ingested NaH13CO3 and measuring 13CO2 breath excretion suggested that this test might be a simple, noninvasive, and inexpensive method for determining gastric emptying. To determine the efficacy of NaH13CO3 as a noninvasive marker for gastric emptying, the resulting 13CO2 breath excretion was determined simultaneously with standard radiolabeled meal measurements of gastric emptying of liquids and solids in 15 patients. 13CO2 breath excretion did not correlate with the gastric emptying of either solids or liquids, as determined by radionuclide techniques. These results suggest that NaH13CO3 is not a reliable indicator of gastric emptying. Factors other than gastric emptying may affect the rate of 13CO2 absorption and exhalation, rendering it unreliable as a measure of gastric emptying.

The influence of induced hyperglycaemia on gastric emptying rate in healthy humans

The effect on gastric emptying rate (GER) of elevated plasma glucose was investigated in eight healthy non-diabetics. They received intravenous infusions of 1000 ml 10% glucose (555 mmol, 1720 kJ) in 2 h: one-half before and the rest during the measure of GER. A control group was established with infusion of hypertonic sodium chloride and in a third group the GER was measured twice without infusion. GER was measured after 6 h of fasting, and following ingestion of a 100 g omelette (1400 kJ) tagged with 40 MBq 99mTc-sulphur colloid and 150 ml water with 8 MBq 111In-DPTA. Anterior and posterior recordings were made on gamma camera every 10th min during 1 h. Time-activity curves from the gastric area were generated for solid and liquid phases, respectively, using geometric means. The GER of solids was delayed, at least partly, by prolongation of the lag phase, and the GER of liquids was delayed following the intravenous infusion of glucose. The GER of solids was delayed following hypertonic saline infusion but not to the same extent as followed glucose in spite of the double osmotic load of saline. The percentage delay of GER of solids following glucose infusion was related to the increase in plasma glucose.

Gastric Emptying in Patients With Chronic Renal Failure Receiving Hemodialysis

Patients with renal failure requiring hemodialysis often suffer from nausea and vomiting. Gastric emptying has not been studied in these patients. To determine whether an abnormality of gastric emptying might account for symptoms in these patients, two groups of ten patients each were selected, one group with symptoms of nausea and vomiting and another without symptoms. Autonomic function was assessed in all patients. Fluid and solid gastric emptying rates were quantified utilizing a dual radionuclide technique. Half-emptying times for fluid and solid test meals were not statistically different from previous standards derived using the same methods in a normal population. Patients with chronic renal failure receiving hemodialysis have no demonstrable abnormality in gastric emptying, whether symptomatic or not.