Publications by authors named "Deirdre O'Donovan"

Gastric emptying (GE) of glucose is regulated closely, not only as a result of inhibitory feedback arising from the small intestine, but also because of the resulting hyperglycemia. Fructose is used widely in the diabetic diet and is known to empty from the stomach slightly faster than glucose but substantially slower than water. The aims of this study were to determine whether intravenous (iv) fructose affects GE and antropyloroduodenal motility and how any effects compare to those induced by iv glucose.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Context: The "incretin" hormones, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), account for some 60% of the stimulation of insulin by oral glucose, but the determinants of their secretion from the small intestine are poorly understood. Cells which release GIP (K cells) are localized to the proximal small intestine, while GLP-1 releasing cells (L cells) predominate in the distal gut. It has been suggested that a threshold rate of duodenal glucose delivery (approximately 1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The rate of alcohol absorption is dependent on gastric emptying (GE). As the slowing of GE by fat is dependent on lipolysis, orlistat may increase the rise in blood alcohol when alcohol is consumed with, or after, fat. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of orlistat on GE and blood alcohol after an alcohol-containing drink following a fat 'preload', in healthy subjects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Previous studies suggest that posture has relatively little effect on gastric emptying of high-nutrient liquids; these studies have, however, only assessed overall rates of gastric emptying, whereas gastric emptying is known to be predominantly a pulsatile phenomenon. In healthy subjects perceptions of appetite, such as hunger, are inversely related to antral area and content; hence, changes in intragastric meal distribution induced by posture may affect appetite. Gastric emptying is a major determinant of postprandial glycemia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Previous observations suggest that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is released into the bloodstream only when dietary carbohydrate enters the duodenum at rates that exceed the absorptive capacity of the proximal small intestine to contact GLP-1 bearing mucosa in more distal bowel. The aims of this study were to determine the effects of modifying the length of small intestine exposed to glucose on plasma concentrations of GLP-1 and also glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), insulin, cholecystokinin (CCK) and ghrelin, and antropyloric pressures. Glucose was infused at 3.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Postprandial hypotension is a frequent disorder, occurring in approximately 40% of nursing-home residents, and represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Current approaches to management are suboptimal. While it has been generally assumed that ingestion of carbohydrate has the greatest effect, the fall in blood pressure (BP) does not appear to be mediated by the consequent elevations in blood glucose and insulin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Postprandial hypotension occurs frequently in older people and may result in syncope and falls. It has recently been established that the magnitude of the fall in blood pressure is related to the rate at which glucose enters the small intestine. We addressed the hypothesis that the fall in blood pressure induced by an intraduodenal glucose infusion is influenced by the interaction of glucose with the small intestinal absorptive epithelium.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The rate of gastric emptying of glucose-containing liquids is a major determinant of postprandial glycemia. The latter is also dependent on stimulation of insulin secretion by glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Although overall emptying of glucose approximates 1-3 kcal/min, the "early phase" of gastric emptying is usually more rapid.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The aims of this study were to evaluate (i) the relationship between transpyloric flow (TF) assessed by Doppler ultrasonography and scintigraphy, (ii) the effects of healthy aging on TF and gastric emptying (GE), and (iii) the relationship between the glycemic response to oral glucose and TF. Ten healthy "young" (7 M, 3 F) and 8 "older" (4 M, 4 F), subjects had simultaneous measurements of TF, GE, and blood glucose after a 600-ml drink (75 g glucose labeled with 20 MBq 99mTc-sulfur colloid) while seated. TF measured by ultrasound was measured during drink ingestion and for 30 min thereafter.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Postprandial hypotension (PPH) occurs frequently in the elderly; the magnitude of the fall in blood pressure (BP) is related to the rate of glucose entry into the duodenum during intraduodenal glucose infusion and spontaneous gastric emptying (GE). It is unclear if glucose concentration affects the hypotensive response. Gastric distension may attenuate PPH; therefore, meal volume could influence the BP response.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The determinants of postprandial blood glycemia are controversial. We assessed the effects of variations in the initial rate of small intestinal glucose delivery on blood glucose, plasma insulin, and incretin responses in both health and type 2 diabetes. Eight controls and eight patients with type 2 diabetes managed by diet alone underwent paired studies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The lipase inhibitor, orlistat, is used in the treatment of obesity and reduces fat absorption by about 30%. However, the mean weight loss induced by orlistat is less than expected for the degree of fat malabsorption. It was hypothesised that lipase inhibition with orlistat attenuates the suppressive effects of oral fat on subsequent energy intake in normal-weight subjects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The management of diabetic gastroparesis often represents a significant clinical challenge in which the maintenance of nutrition is pivotal. Gastric emptying is delayed in 30% to 50% of patients with longstanding type 1 or type 2 diabetes and upper gastrointestinal symptoms also occur frequently. However, there is only a weak association between the presence of symptoms and delayed gastric emptying.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The management of both diabetic and idiopathic gastroparesis often represents a substantial clinical challenge. In formulating recommendations for therapy, it should be recognized that these are based on less than optimal evidence; in particular, there are substantial deficiencies in current knowledge relating to the pathophysiology of gastroparesis, as well as the natural history of gastrointestinal symptoms, and the majority of pharmacologic trials have been short term and associated with methodologic limitations. Although the etiologic factors differ, the overall management principles are similar in the two conditions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The presence of nutrients in the small intestine slows gastric emptying and suppresses appetite and food intake; these effects are partly mediated by the release of gut hormones, including CCK. We investigated the hypothesis that the modulation of antropyloroduodenal motility, suppression of appetite, and stimulation of CCK and glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion by intraduodenal fat are dependent on triglyceride hydrolysis by lipase. Sixteen healthy, young, lean men were studied twice in double-blind, randomized, crossover fashion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Fas ligand (FasL) is an important mediator of immune function and induces apoptosis by binding to its receptor Fas on sensitized cells. It has recently been shown that malignancies may express FasL and acquire immune privilege by inducing apoptosis of lymphocytes. Acquired resistance to Fas mediated apoptosis is known to be an early event in carcinogenesis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This review focuses on what is known about the effects of carbohydrate on food intake, the potential mechanisms mediating these effects, and the impact of different monosaccharides in humans. The inhibition of subsequent food intake associated with ingestion of carbohydrate appears to result primarily from gastrointestinal signals, including those generated by orosensory stimulation, gastric distension, and perhaps most importantly the interaction of nutrients with receptors in the small intestine. The latter is associated with the release of putative satiety hormones, including glucagon-like peptide-1 and amylin, and slowing of both gastric emptying and small intestinal transit (thereby prolonging gastric distension and increasing the time available for nutrient absorption).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Postprandial hypotension occurs frequently in older people and may lead to syncope and falls. Some recent studies suggest that the magnitude of the postprandial fall in blood pressure (BP) is influenced by the rate of gastric emptying. The aim of this study was, therefore, to determine whether the fall in blood pressure induced by intraduodenal glucose is influenced by the rate of nutrient delivery into the small intestine, bypassing the effects of gastric emptying.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF