[Study of esophageal motility in diabetic patients using the scintigraphic method]

Oesophagus scintigraphy with 99mTc was used to evaluate oesophageal motility in a group of 23 diabetics without symptoms of autonomic neuropathy (AN). 11 patients were found to have a pathological response to the cardiovascular AN nerve tests. This group of diabetic patients with asymptomatic AN had a high frequency of esophageal dysfunction and a pattern of motor change characterized by uncoordinated movements compared with the group of diabetics without AN and with controls. No correlation between duration of diabetes, insulin dependence, presence of peripheral neuropathy (PN) and motor changes was found. The authors conclude asserting that oesophagus scintigraphy, owing to its sensibility, can lead to an early diagnosis of oesophageal dysfunction in diabetics when symptoms of NA are not yet observed.