Gastric myoelectrical activity in diabetics with and without diabetic autonomic neuropathy

The effects of diabetes mellitus on gastric myoelectrical activity has not been fully investigated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the pattern of gastric myoelectrical activity in noninsulin dependent diabetics, detected by electrogastrography in an attempt to clarify the relation between diabetic autonomic neuropathy and gastric myoelectrical abnormalities, if any.

The study was carried out on 34 noninsulin dependent diabetes (7 males, 27 females). Their age ranged from 35-60 years with mean age of 51.5 +/- 3.5 years. The EGG was recorded for 30 min in both the fasting and postprandial states, using an ambulatory EGG recording device (Digitrapper EGG, Synectics Medical). The adaptive spectral analysis method was used to assess the normality of the EGG. The EGG was defined as abnormal if: the percentage of normal slow waves (2.5-3.7 cycles/min) was below 70% during either the baseline or postprandial recording or there was a decrease in EGG peak power after the meal, or both.

EGG abnormalities were detected in 13 patients (38.2%); 1 had tachygastria, 1 had bradygastria, 7 had dysrhythmias, and 4 had decreased EGG peak power after the meal. All diabetic patients with abnormal EGG suffer autonomic neuropathy.

These results suggest that gastric myoelectrical abnormalities occur in a high proportion of noninsulin dependent diabetics and these abnormalities predominate in those patients with autonomic neuropathy.