Gastrointestinal mean transit times in young and middle-aged healthy subjects

To investigate the effects of age and gender on gastric, small intestinal a nd colonic mean transit times, a study was conducted in 32 healthy voluntee rs: eight young women (22-30 years), eight young men (20-28 years), eight m iddle-aged women (43-51 years) and eight middle-aged men (38-53 years). Aft er ingestion of a meal containing (111)Indium-labelled water and (99m)Techn etium-labelled omelette imaging of the abdomen was performed at intervals o f 30 min until all radioactivity was located in the colon and henceforth at intervals of 24 h until all radioactivity had cleared from the colon. Gast ric, small intestinal and colonic mean transit times were calculated. The g astric, small intestinal and colonic mean transit times were significantly longer in women. Ageing was shown to accelerate the gastric and small intes tinal transit significantly. In the group of men the colonic mean transit t ime was unaffected by age, but middle-aged women had a significantly slower colonic transit than young women. We therefore conclude that both age and gender have to be considered when reference values for gastric, small intes tinal and colonic mean transit times have to be established.