The ileum and carbohydrate-mediated feedback regulation of postprandial pancreaticobiliary secretion in normal humans.

We investigated the effect of perfusing carbohydrate into the ileum on postprandial pancreaticobiliary secretion and the relationships among carbohydrate in the ileum, pancreaticobiliary secretion, and gastric emptying. Eighteen healthy volunteers were intubated with a multilumen oroileal tube. A metal labeled with 111In-diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid (400 calories; 60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 20% fat) was then infused into the stomach, and a carbohydrate solution (rice starch + glucose) was perfused into the terminal ileum at rates (mg/min) of 0 (saline; n = 6), 12.5 (n = 4), 25 (n = 4), 50 (n = 2), and 100 (n = 2). To prevent digestion of the carbohydrate in the ileum, an amylase inhibitor (3.3 mg/ml) was added to the perfusate used in half of the subjects. Postprandially, we measured outputs of amylase, trypsin, and bile acids in the duodenum, the amount of carbohydrate in the ileum, and gastric emptying. During the second postprandial hour the rate of gastric emptying was inversely related to the amount of carbohydrate in the ileum (p less than 0.01) and was directly correlated with pancreaticobiliary secretion (p less than 0.05). However, as the amount of unabsorbed carbohydrate in the ileum increased, the ratio of amylase to trypsin secretion increased (p less than 0.005). Postprandially carbohydrate in the ileum induces changes of upper-gut function that should increase digestion and absorption of carbohydrate since gastric emptying (and delivery of carbohydrate to the duodenum) slows and pancreatic amylase secretion increases relative to trypsin secretion and gastric emptying.