Slowed rate of gastric emptying of solid food in man by high caloric parenteral nutrition.

We studied the effect of high caloric parenteral nutrition on the rate of gastric emptying of solid food. The linear pattern of gastric emptying was not altered by parenteral nutrition, but the gastric emptying rate was consistently slowed. The degree of slowing of gastric emptying while on parenteral nutrition correlated with the increase in blood glucose induced by the intravenous nutrient load. These findings may explain the oral food intolerance displayed by some persons receiving both oral and high caloric intravenous nutrition.

Gastric, pancreatic, and biliary secretion and the rate of gastric emptying after parietal cell vagotomy.

We compared the gastric, pancreatic, and biliary secretory responses to a liquid test meal and the rates of gastric emptying of liquid and solid test meals in six patients at least 1 year after parietal cell vagotomy with eight unoperated subjects, one with duodenal ulcer disease and seven normal control subjects. Parietal cell vagotomy decreased gastric acid secretion to one third of normal, but total trypsin and bile salt secretion during the first 150 postcibal minutes were normal. The liquid test meal emptied from the stomach faster after parietal cell vagotomy, the pattern of emptying being exponential in the vagotomy patients and linear in the normal subjects. The rate of gastric emptying of a liquid meal, although faster than normal, was less precipitous after parietal cell vagotomy than after truncal vagotomy plus drainage or subtotal gastrectomy, and trypsin and bile salt concentrations were not diluted to abnormal levels, as occurs after these other procedures. Furthermore, emptying and dispersion of solid food remained normal after parietal cell vagotomy. These findings probably explain, at least in part, the decreased incidence of postprandial dumping and diarrhea that accompanies parietal cell vagotomy compared with the other popular operations for duodenal ulcer.

Preparation of poliovirus labeled with phosphorus-33.

Phosphorus-33 ((33)P), a weak (0.25 Mev) beta-emitting isotope of phosphorus with a half-life of 25 days, has been used to label poliovirus in cell culture. HeLa cell monolayers were depleted of phosphate and then labeled by incubating at 37 C in a medium (LM) containing about 10 muCi of (33)P as orthophosphate per ml. Labeled cells were infected at a high multiplicity with poliovirus type 1 and incubated for 8 hr in LM medium. Virus from infected cells was then concentrated and purified. Virus purity was confirmed by comparison of virus infectivity and radioactivity after CsCl density gradient centrifugation and by observing purified virus preparations with electron microscopy. With the method described, yields of about 10(10) to 5 x 10(10) plaque-forming units (PFU) of highly purified poliovirus with specific activities of about 3 x 10(-4) to 10(-3) disintegrations per min per PFU have been obtained from 1.5 x 10(8) to 3.0 x 10(8) HeLa cells.

Gastric emptying rates of solid food in relation to body size.

The relationship of body size to rates of gastric emptying of solid food was investigated in order to obtain data that may allow this variable to be considered when populations of varying size are studied. Rates of gastric emptying were measured using a beef stew meal to which were added pieces of chicken liver tagged with [99mTc]sulfur colloid, and following the passage of the isotope through the gastrointestinal tract with intermittent gamma-imaging. Results showed an inverse linear relationship between gastric emptying rates and body surface area, and between gastric emptying rates and body weight. The variable of body size must be taken into account when measurements of gastric emptying of solid food are measured.

The effect of hyperthyroidism on gastric emptying rates and pancreatic exocrine and biliary secretion in man.

Malabsorption and diarrhea in hyperthyroidism has been attributed in part to an increased rate of gastrointestinal transit as measured with barium sulfate suspension. Data are unavailable on the effect of hyperthyroidism on gastric emptying rates of normal food and pancreatic enzyme secretion. These functions have been studied in 4 hyperthyroid patients and compared to results obtained when treatment achieved euthyroidism. Pancreatic trypsin secretion was half the euthyroid level in the hyperthyroid state. No significant change in bile salts occurred, although there was a tendency for a greater proportion of dihydroxy bile salts while hyperthyroid. Gastric emptying rates of a mixed fat, protein, and carbohydrate liquid meal were normal. Similarly the gastric emptying rate of a beef stew plus chicken liver meal was normal. We conclude that in hyperthyroidism gastric emptying rates of "physiologically active" food is normal. Pancreatic enzyme secretion is depressed in hyperthyroidism and may contribute to maldigestion.