Intra- and interindividual variability in fasted gastric content volume

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pharmacokinetics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Gastric fluid volume is critical for digestion and drug dissolution.
• Understanding fasted gastric content volume (FGCV) variability is essential for optimizing these processes.
• Previous research has not fully characterized FGCV variability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify intra- and interindividual variation in fasted gastric content volume (FGCV).
• To investigate the influence of age, sex, and body size on FGCV.
• To inform studies on gastric digestion and drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Pooled data from 24 MRI studies of healthy individuals after overnight fasting.
• Analyzed 870 FGCV measurements from 366 participants using linear mixed models.
• Assessed effects of age, sex, weight, height, BMI, and weight*height on FGCV.

Main Results:

• FGCV ranged from 0 to 156 mL (mean ± SD: 33 ± 25 mL).
• Intraindividual variability (SD: 19 mL) exceeded interindividual variability (SD: 15 mL).
• Age and body size metrics did not affect FGCV; women had lower volumes than men.

Conclusions:

• Fasted gastric content volume (FGCV) exhibits substantial day-to-day and within-day variability.
• FGCV is not a stable personal characteristic, emphasizing its dynamic nature.
• The high variability of FGCV necessitates its consideration in digestion and drug delivery research.