Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of light propofol sedation on gastric emptying and orocecal transit time (OCT).
Methods: Ten healthy male volunteers were studied on 2 occasions separated by at least 1 week and were randomly allocated to receive either propofol sedation or i.v. saline as a control. During propofol sedation the volunteers were sedated to grade 2-3 on a 5-grade scale. This was achieved by a propofol infusion of 5 mg kg(-1) h(-1) initially, which was then titrated down to a dose of 2.4+/-0.7 mg kg(-1) h(-1). Paracetamol absorption was used as an indirect measure of the rate of gastric emptying and OCT was determined by use of the hydrogen breath test after ingestion of raffinose. Student's t-test for paired samples was used and the results are presented as means+/-SD.
Results: During propofol sedation the maximum concentration of paracetamol (Cmax) was 115+/-26.8 micromol/L, time to peak concentration (Tmax) 50+/-38.8 min, and the area under the curve during the first 60 min (AUC60) 4793+/-1538 micromol x min/L, versus Cmax 99+/-20.8, Tmax 69+/-41.9 and AUC60 3897+/-1310 during saline infusion. These differences were not statistically significant. OCT was significantly shorter during the control study, 180+/-32.4 min, than during propofol sedation, 217+/-64.9 min (P<0.05).
Conclusion: This study in volunteers has shown that gastric emptying of liquids seems uninfluenced by light propofol sedation. OCT was slightly prolonged during light propofol sedation.