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Intestinal transit in insulin-requiring diabetics
The American Journal of Gastroenterology
|April 1, 1986
Summary
Abnormal intestinal transit is common in insulin-requiring diabetics, affecting one-third of patients tested. This altered gut motility is not always linked to gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Endocrinology
- Diabetology
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus can affect gastrointestinal function.
- Diabetic neuropathy, particularly autonomic neuropathy, is implicated in gut motility disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess intestinal transit time in insulin-requiring male diabetics.
- To investigate the relationship between intestinal transit, neuropathy, and gastrointestinal symptoms in diabetes.
Main Methods:
- Breath hydrogen appearance time was measured after liquid and solid nonabsorbable carbohydrate meals.
- Subjects included 25 insulin-requiring diabetics (categorized by neuropathy status) and 15 healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Intestinal transit was slower for solid meals than liquid meals in both groups.
- No significant overall difference in intestinal transit between controls and diabetics.
- One-third of diabetic patients exhibited abnormal intestinal transit (rapid or delayed) with the liquid meal.
- Only one patient with diarrhea had rapid intestinal transit.
Conclusions:
- Abnormal intestinal transit is a frequent finding in insulin-requiring diabetics.
- Altered intestinal transit is not a necessary condition for the development of diabetic diarrhea.