title: The influence of temperature of ingested fluid on stomach emptying time.
abstract: The influence of the temperature of ingested water on the stomach emptying time of solid material was studied in healthy volunteers using a telemetric pH measurement device. The time of discharge of the indigestible capsule from the stomach into the duodenum is statistically faster when administered with 250 ml of water at 5 degrees C, 15.91+/-10.04 min. (mean+/-SD) than it is with water at 20-25 degrees C, 48.18+/-28.97 min (mean+/-SD) or at 45 degrees C 71.42+/-37.08 min. (mean+/-SD). It seems that the interindividual variation is larger than the intra-individual one. These observations suggest that enteric coated preparations and drugs which are inactivated by gastric fluid or irritate gastric mucosa should be administered only with ice water (4-6 degrees C), and stomach washings (with charcoal) in order to remove a poisoning agent should be performed with warm water (45 degrees C).
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005751:Gastric Lavage; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000628:therapy; D013270:Stomach / Q000502:physiology*; D013696:Temperature