The authors of the present study evaluated gastric emptying of a semisolid meal in 20 patients with liver cirrhosis and in 10 control subjects with the help of a scintigraphic technique. They also reviewed the association between gastric emptying with gastrointestinal symptoms and with autonomic nervous function as calculated by R-R interval variation on the electrocardiogram. 

The results showed that no participants had endoscopic abnormalities that could describe their gastrointestinal symptoms. None of the enrolled patients had alcoholic liver disease, diabetes, or other diseases that can have the potential to affect gastric emptying. The half-time for gastric emptying was remarkably prolonged in the cirrhotic patients (51.3±16.6 minutes) in contrast to control (29.9±8.4). A significant association was reported between the gastrointestinal symptom score and the half-time for gastric emptying in patients with liver cirrhosis. Nevertheless, no correlation existed between decrease in R-R interval variation and gastric emptying. 

Thus, it can be concluded that delayed gastric emptying is a common finding manifested in patients with liver cirrhosis, which can also cause their gastrointestinal symptoms.

Source: Isobe H, Sakai H, Satoh M, Sakamoto S, Nawata H. Delayed gastric emptying in patients with liver cirrhosis. Dig Dis Sci. 1994 May;39(5):983-7.