Oro-cecal transit time: influence of a subsequent meal.
BACKGROUND
Small intestinal and oro-cecal transit time (OCTT) is determined for clinical diagnostics and research purposes. Experimental protocols used vary with respect to the inclusion of a subsequent meal during the test period. This study was conducted to elucidate whether the ingestion of a subsequent meal during the test period influences the OCTT of the test meal.


METHODS
The OCTT of a liquid test meal, measured with the lactose-[(13)C]ureide breath test, was compared between four groups of healthy volunteers (n = 36) who consumed the subsequent meal at different time points. Also, the OCTT was determined twice in eight subjects; a subsequent meal was ingested after 180 min (test A) and after 360 min (test B).


RESULTS
An apparently meal-related increase in median OCTT was observed. The OCTT of the eight volunteers measured in test A (210; 210-349 median; quartiles) was significantly shorter than that found in test B (345; 300-375 min, P = 0.016). As result of the ingestion of the subsequent meal at 180 min the OCTT was shortened by 90; 64-116 min in 7/8 subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that the ingestion of a subsequent meal affects the OCTT of a liquid test meal. This phenomenon could be explained by the increased intestinal motility in response to a meal, and should be taken into account when designing protocols for measurements of the OCTT and in the interpretation of small intestinal absorption studies.
Priebe
M G
MG
Department of Pediatrics, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. m.g.priebe@med.rug.nl
Wachters-Hagedoorn
R E
RE
Stellaard
F
F
Heiner
A M
AM
Elzinga
H
H
Vonk
R J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods; D002432:Cecum / Q000378:metabolism; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000502:physiology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism; D007785:Lactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D014508:Urea / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
C023344:lactosylurea; D014508:Urea; D007785:Lactose