Delayed gastric emptying of both the liquid and solid components of a meal in chronic liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate gastric emptying in patients with chronic liver disease and portal hypertension.


METHODS
We measured gastric emptying of both the liquid and solid components of a meal in 10 consecutive patients with chronic liver disease and portal hypertension, but free of ascites, and 14 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. In the patients with liver disease, relationships between emptying and liver function were examined. To measure gastric emptying, subjects consumed a test meal that consisted of scrambled eggs labeled with 99mTc-sulfur colloid and 4 oz of water labeled with 111In-diethylene triamine pentacetic acid (DTPA).


RESULTS
Patients with liver disease and portal hypertension demonstrated delayed emptying of both the liquid (t1/2, min, mean +/- SE, patients vs.


METHODS
69.4 +/- 19.4 vs. 31.4 +/- 1.8, p < 0.01) and solid (post-lag phase solid emptying: 141 +/- 32.9 vs. 69.8 +/- 4.6, p < 0.006) components of the meal. We could not identify any correlation between gastric emptying and tests of liver function.


CONCLUSIONS
Gastric emptying is delayed in patients with liver disease and portal hypertension; this abnormal gastric motor function may contribute to the pathophysiology of foregut complaints in this patient population.
Galati
J S
JS
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha.
Holdeman
K P
KP
Dalrymple
G V
GV
Harrison
K A
KA
Quigley
E M
EM
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000503:physiopathology; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid; D004369:Pentetic Acid