Gastric emptying of oil and aqueous meal components in pancreatic insufficiency - effects of posture and on appetite. Carney, Bernard I., Karen L. Jones, Michael Horowitz, Wei Ming Sun, Roberto Penagini, James H. Meyer. Department of Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Cattedra di Gastroenterologia Ospedale Maggiore di Milano, Milan, Italy and VA Medical Center, Sepulveda, CA 91343 USA
APStracts 2:0016G, 1995.
The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of posture on gastric emptying, intragastric distribution and satiation after a meal containing oil and aqueous phases in patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Five patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) consumed 60 ml 99mTc-(V)-thiocyanate olive oil and 290 ml 113mIn-DTPA soup while sitting and while lying in the left lateral decubitus position. Hunger and fullness before and after the meal were recorded. Results were compared to those obtained in 11 normal volunteers. In both postures emptying of oil was faster (p<0.01) in the CF patients. Emptying of the aqueous phase was faster (p<0.01) in the CF patients in the decubitus position. In the normal subjects there was no overall difference in emptying of oil between the two postures, whereas emptying of the aqueous phase was delayed (p<0.01) in the decubitus position. In the CF patients emptying of oil was faster (p<0.01) in the decubitus position and emptying of the aqueous phase was only slightly faster (p<0.05) in the sitting position. In both postures there was greater retention (p<0.05) of oil in the proximal stomach in the normal subjects than the CF patients. Hunger decreased (p<0.05) after the meal in the control subjects, but there was no change in CF patients. These results indicate that in CF patients with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency: (i) gastric emptying of non-homogenized fat is faster than normal (ii) gravity affects gastric emptying of oil and (iii) effects of a fatty meal on hunger are reduced.

Received 17 May 1994; accepted in final form 24 January 1995.
APS Manuscript Number G185-4.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Gastrointest. Liver
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 23 February 1995.