Diabetic oesophagoparesis: assessment by solid phase radionuclide scintigraphy

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endocrinology
• Nuclear Medicine

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus is a systemic disease affecting multiple organs.
• Gastrointestinal dysfunction is a known complication of diabetes.
• Esophageal motility disorders can impact patient quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess esophageal emptying in patients with diabetes mellitus.
• To compare esophageal function in diabetics versus normal volunteers.
• To investigate correlations between esophageal emptying and diabetes duration, insulin dose, or neuropathy.

Main Methods:

• Solid phase radionuclide scintigraphy was employed.
• 13 healthy volunteers and 23 patients with diabetes mellitus participated.
• Oesophageal emptying times and activity at specific time points were measured.

Main Results:

• Diabetic patients exhibited significantly delayed esophageal emptying times (23 min vs. 7.6 min).
• Higher esophageal activity was observed in diabetics at 5 and 10 minutes post-ingestion.
• No significant correlation was found between esophageal emptying and diabetes duration, insulin dose, or neuropathy.
• A weak correlation was noted between esophageal and gastric emptying times (r = 0.37).

Conclusions:

• Abnormalities in esophageal emptying are prevalent in diabetes mellitus.
• These abnormalities can occur even in the absence of other diabetic end-organ complications.
• Radionuclide techniques are sensitive for detecting esophageal dysfunction in diabetics.