In 87 randomly selected diabetic patients (67 type 1, 20 type 2) and 25 control subjects, gastric emptying of digestible solid and liquid meals and oesophageal transit of a solid bolus were measured with scintigraphic techniques. Gastrointestinal symptoms, autonomic nerve function and glycaemic control were evaluated in the diabetic patients. Gastric emptying and oesophageal transit were slower (P < 0.001)="" in="" the="" diabetic="" patients="" compared="" with="" the="" control="" subjects,="" and="" each="" was="" delayed="" in="" about="" 40%="" of="" them.="" there="" was="" a="" relatively="" weak="">r=0.32; P<0.01) relationship="" between="" solid="" and="" liquid="" gastric="" emptying,="" and="" no="" significant="" correlation="">r=0.11, NS) between oesophageal transit and gastric emptying of the solid meal. Scores for upper gastrointestinal symptoms and autonomic nerve function correlated weakly (r=0.21; P < 0.05)="" with="" both="" oesophageal="" transit="" and="" gastric="" emptying.="" gastric="" emptying="" of="" the="" liquid="" meal="" was="" slower="">P < 0.05)="" in="" patients="" with="" blood="" glucose="" concentrations=""> 15 mmol/1. These results indicate that gastric emptying in patients with diabetes mellitus should be assessed by liquid as well as by solid test meals and that oesophageal transit should not be used as a predictor of generalised diabetic gastroenteropathy.