Effects of cigarette smoking on solid and liquid intragastric distribution and gastric emptying

The acute effects of cigarette smoking on gastric emptying are controversial, whereas its effects on the intragastric distribution of solids and liquids are not established.

Dual isotope gastric scintigraphy was performed in 15 habitual smokers (studied twice, either sham smoking or actively smoking) and in 15 age- and sex-matched nonsmokers.

Acute smoking was associated with an increased prevalence of episodes of retrograde intragastric movement of solids (3 of 15 sham subjects vs. 12 of 15 actively smoking subjects; P < 0.01) and of liquids (0 of 15 vs. 7 of 15; P < 0.01) from distal to proximal stomach. Fundal half-emptying time (T1/2) for liquids was also prolonged by smoking (43 +/- 19 minutes sham vs. 125 +/- 216 minutes active; P < 0.05). Acute smoking delayed solid lag time (13 +/- 6 minutes sham vs. 32 +/- 18 active; P < 0.05) and liquid T1/2 (46 +/- 21 vs. 90 +/- 50 minutes; P < 0.05). In the nonsmokers, such episodes of proximal intragastric redistribution did not occur, and intragastric and overall emptying parameters did not differ significantly from those of habitual sham smokers.

Acute cigarette smoking produces excessive antrofundal redistribution of both solid and liquid contents and delays solid and liquid gastric emptying.