Gastric emptying in type 2 diabetes: quick or slow?

Although it is now widely accepted that around one-half of patients with Type 1 diabetes have delayed gastric emptying of both solid and liquid meals, the situation with respect to patients with Type 2 diabetes is less clear cut. Recent reports in the literature suggest that gastric emptying, at least of liquids, is more rapid than normal for patients with "early' Type 2 diabetes, whereas patients with later stages of the disease may have delayed or normal emptying of solids. Given the large number of possible confounding factors, such as age, gender, and previous dietary history in this population, as well as the influences of hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia on gastric emptying, this area clearly requires further investigation under more stringent conditions.