Gastric emptying and small-bowel transit rate in the elderly.

Gastric emptying of liquid and small bowel transit in a group of elderly patients (mean age 79 years) was studied, with the elderly subjects compared to two groups of young controls. In 14 elderly patients, the initial rate of gastric emptying was significantly higher than in 14 young controls: the five-minute volume was 159 +/- 30 ml (mean +/- SEM) in the elderly patients and 294 +/- 22 ml in the young controls (p less than 0.005). The two groups' gastric emptying rates after five minutes were not significantly different. Small-bowel transit in 15 elderly patients was not significantly different from that found in 15 younger volunteers. These results suggest that gastric homeostatic mechanisms are impaired in the elderly.