Intra- and interindividual variability in fasted gastric content volume

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2024 Nov;36(11):e14904. doi: 10.1111/nmo.14904. Epub 2024 Aug 27.

Abstract

Background: Gastric fluid plays a key role in food digestion and drug dissolution, therefore, the amount of gastric fluid present in a fasted state may influence subsequent digestion and drug delivery. We aimed to describe intra- and interindividual variation in fasted gastric content volume (FGCV) and to determine the association with age, sex, and body size characteristics.

Methods: Data from 24 MRI studies measuring FGCV in healthy, mostly young individuals after an overnight fast were pooled. The analysis included 366 participants who had up to 6 repeated measurements, with a total of 870 measurements. Linear mixed model analysis was performed to calculate intra- and interindividual variability and to assess the effects of age, sex, weight, height, weight*height as a proxy for body size, and body mass index (BMI).

Results: FGCV ranged from 0 to 156 mL, with a mean (± SD) value of 33 ± 25 mL. The overall coefficient of variation within the study population was 75.6%, interindividual SD was 15 mL, and the intraindividual SD was 19 mL. Age, weight, height, weight*height, and BMI had no effect on FGCV. Women had lower volumes compared to men (MD: -6 mL), when corrected for the aforementioned factors.

Conclusion: FGCV is highly variable, with higher intraindividual compared to interindividual variability, indicating that FGCV is subject to day-to-day and within-day variation and is not a stable personal characteristic. This highlights the importance of considering FGCV when studying digestion and drug dissolution. Exact implications remain to be studied.

Keywords: MRI; biological variation; digestion; gastric juice; gastric volume.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Body Mass Index
  • Body Size / physiology
  • Fasting*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Contents / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Stomach / anatomy & histology
  • Stomach / diagnostic imaging
  • Stomach / physiology
  • Young Adult