Effect of soya bean oil on symptoms, gastric emptying and gut hormone release in patients with postvagotomy symptoms.

: In a preliminary study the effect of an aperitif of a stable fat emulsion on symptoms, gastric emptying of a hypertonic glucose meal and associated release of insulin, neurotensin, enteroglucagon, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) was evaluated in 9 patients with postprandial gastrointestinal discomfort after vagotomy. In each patient gastric emptying of the glucose meal was measured twice: 20 min after intake of distilled water and after fat emulsion. On both occasions neurotensin, enteroglucagon and GIP rose significantly from fasting values. In contrast to distilled water, the fat emulsion was able to significantly activate the release of the hormones before ingestion of the glucose meal. All the patients had a rapid emptying of the glucose meal after distilled water and they experienced symptoms that corresponded with the nature of their spontaneous symptoms after ordinary meals. The fat emulsion reduced the early emptying of the meal and relieved the symptoms of the dumping patients, whereas gastric emptying and symptoms were variable in the patients with diarrhoea and other postvagotomy symptoms. The intake of an aperitif of soya bean oil seems to be an effective treatment only in patients with the dumping syndrome.