Relation between gastric emptying of glucose and plasma concentrations of glucagon-like peptide-1

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) may play a role in regulating gastric emptying. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between gastric emptying of glucose and plasma concentrations of GLP-1. Gastric emptying of 75 g of glucose dissolved in 350 ml of water was measured by the use of scintigraphy in 12 normal volunteers. Venous blood samples for measurement of GLP-1 were obtained immediately before and for 180 min after ingestion of glucose. Plasma GLP-1 rose rapidly from a baseline of 8.5 +/- 1.2 pmol/l to 14.3 +/- 1.3 pmol/l at 10 min (p = 0.024), with a peak of 19.2 +/- 3.0 pmol/l at 30 min (p = 0.0006) after the glucose drink. The rate of gastric emptying was inversely related to the early rise in GLP-1, e.g., the 50% emptying time was related to the change in GLP-1 from baseline at 10 min (r = 0.57; p < 0.05). We conclude that there is an inverse relationship between gastric emptying of glucose and plasma GLP-1. This observation is consistent with the concept that GLP-1 is a determinant of, rather than determined by, the rate of gastric emptying.