Gastric emptying of solid and liquid meals in healthy controls compared with long-term type-1 diabetes mellitus under optimal glucose control.

BACKGROUND

Neuropathy of the enteric nervous system and hyperglycaemia are regarded as the main causes of diabetic gastroparesis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In ten patients with Type-1 diabetes mellitus and sensomotoric neuropathy gastric emptying half times were compared with ten healthy controls by employing the 13C-octanoic acid and the 13C-sodiumacetate breath test, resp., following the intake of equally composed and isocaloric liquid and solid meals. Plasma glucose concentrations were controlled by permanent intravenous administration of insulin.

RESULTS

In diabetes mellitus gastric emptying half times after the intake of the liquid meal (p < 0.05) but not after ingestion of the solid meal were slightly prolonged. Gastric emptying half times in patients and controls were not different when liquid and solid meals were compared.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute hyperglycaemia appears to be more important than the neuropathy of the enteric nervous system in the pathophysiology of diabetic gastroparesis. The rate of gastric emptying is obviously not dependent on the phase of a meal, but rather on the composition and the caloric content.