Effect of cigarette smoking on gastric emptying.

Abstract

Summary and conclusionsGastric emptying after a test meal was studied in 17 normal volunteers-10 habitual smokers and seven non-smokers. The solid component of the test meal was labelled with technetium and the liquid component with indium. After one meal the habitual smokers smoked two cigarettes. Emptying curves were produced for both technetium and indium, and the differences between curves for meals with and without cigarettes were analysed.Cigarette smoking accelerated the rate at which the liquid component of a meal left the stomach. This may be important in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcer and the delay in healing caused by cigarette smoking. IntroductionCigarette smoking may be important in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcer and appears to delay healing.' The intermediary mechanism, however, is not clear. The concept that the rate of gastric emptying tends to be more rapid than normal in patients with duodenal ulcer23 is controversial4 5; if true, this phenomenon may be either a cause or effect of the disease. We think it is probably causative, and a rapid rate of gastric emptying may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcer.6 Because of this we investigated the effect of cigarette smoking on gastric emptying in normal subjects. We thought that cigarette smoking and duodenal ulcer might be linked, in which case smoking a cigarette would probably accelerate gastric emptying. By using radioactive tracer techniques that had recently become available 5-7 we were able to measure simultaneously the rates at which the solid and liquid components of a meal left the stomach.

Effect of cigarette smoking on gastric emptying of solids in Japanese smokers: a crossover study using the 13C-octanoic acid breath test

“…The higher susceptibility of the inhibitory system to nicotine may be a reason why previous experiments tended to document a retardant effect on GE of solids, despite considerable differences in the nicotine yield of cigarettes among the experiments. 3,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11] On the other hand, it is probable that, in our subjects, plasma nicotine levels may have risen enough to induce the excitatory response, because nicotine metabolism is slower in Japanese male smokers than in male smokers of other ethnic groups. 30,31 The insignificant trend toward an increase in b after smoking (P = 0.1614) may indicate a potential delay in the early emptying phase due to the initial inhibitory response (Table 1).…”

“…3,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11] The majority of related research studies have supported a delaying effect of smoking on GE of solids. [5][6][7][8]11 Only one study has found an accelerating effect, 10 but that study did not provide any conclusion on the effect of acute smoking, because it only demonstrated that GE was quicker in chronic smokers than in nonsmokers.…”

“…5 Thus, studies on a possible link between smoking and disordered GE have clinical relevance. Although data from abroad are contradictory regarding the effect of smoking on GE, 3,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11] little is known of this effect in Japanese smokers.…”

“…2 On the other hand, disorders in gastric emptying (GE) may contribute to the development of these upper gastrointestinal diseases. Rapid GE may facilitate intensive acidification of the duodenum, 3 while delayed GE may allow the ready reflux of gastric contents to the esophagus 4 and the prolonged contact of ulcerogenic agents with the gastric mucosa. 5 Thus, studies on a possible link between smoking and disordered GE have clinical relevance.…”

Idiopathic Gastric Stasis

“…Cigarette smoking is also implicated in delayed gastric emptying of sol ids [44], while liquid emptying is increased [45]. In depressive states, the role of slow gas tric emptying has been suspected in the pro duction of diminished appetite and weight loss.…”