Effects of meal viscosity on serum gastrin response and gastric emptying rate in duodenal ulcer patients.

Addition of guar gum to a meal increases its viscosity. Two test meals of differing viscosities were eaten by 15 duodenal ulcer patients. Gastric emptying rates were measured over 120 minute periods after ingestion of the meals by determining the intragastric content of the polyethylene glycol which had been included in the meals. Serum gastrin levels were determined over the same period by radioimmunoassay. The gastric emptying rate was significantly (p less than 0.05) lower after the meal of higher viscosity, but there were no significant differences in serum gastrin levels at any time of measurement after the two meals.