Intravenous Fat Emulsion (Intralipid) Delays Gastric Emptying, but Does Not Cause Gastroesophageal Reflux in Healthy Volunteers

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Abstract
The impact of overnight intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) infusion on upper gastrointestinal tract physiology was assessed in 10 healthy volunteers. No changes in lower esophageal sphincter pressure (before infusion: 28 ± 4 mm Hg; after infusion 20.5 ± 3; p:NS), plasma concentrations of gastrointestinal hormones (gastrin: preprandial before/after lipids: 14 ± 2.1/13 ± 1.4 pM; postprandial before/after lipids: 28 ± 2.7/30 ± 3.4 pM, CCK: preprandial before/after lipids: 69 ± 10/64 ± 10 pM; postprandial before/after lipids: 96 ± 11/95 ± 12 pM; neurotensin: levels less than 6 pM in all samples; somatostatin levels undetectable in all samples) nor on pathologic gastroesophageal reflux episodes (% of time of pH < 4, before/after lipids: 0.6 ± 0.4/0.15 ± 0.09), were found (p = NS). In contrast, technetium gastric emptying studies showed a significant delay when comparing pre- and postlipid infusion values (37 ± 4/54 ± 4%) (p < 0.005). The mechanism of this effect remains unexplained. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 13:246-248, 1989)