Increased gastrointestinal symptom frequency in diabetes mellitus even with good glycemic control

Year 2020, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 26 - 30, 15.01.2020

Sezai Kalkan Eylem Karatay , Erdem Akbal

https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.635710

Cited By: 2

Abstract

Background and Aim: Gastrointestinal problems are reportedly more frequent in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) compared to the general population and are a cause of reduced quality of life (QOL). Even though studies have suggested that parameters such as glycemic control and disease duration are responsible for upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in DM, there is little compelling evidence to show a direct relationship given the fact that various other studies report no relationship. These conflicts may be caused by the lack of standardization of patient populations, evaluation methods and other causes. Our aim was to determine and compare the frequency of GI symptoms and GI-related QOL in recently diagnosed DM patients and healthy controls in order to evaluate this relationship with minimization of confounding factors.

Material and methods: A total of 59 patients newly diagnosed with DM and 92 age- and sex-matched controls were included in this study. Demographic characteristics, chronic diseases, GI symptoms (as measured by 8-MGSI score) and GI-related QOL (irritable bowel syndrome quality of life, IBS-QOL) scores were evaluated. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine factors that independently influenced IBS-QOL.

Results: The patient and control groups were similar with regard to all characteristics except for chronic diseases. The scores for 8-MGSI and IBS-QOL were significantly worse in patients with DM. Regression analyses showed that IBS, DM and dyspepsia were independent factors that influences IBS-QOL scores.

Conclusion:The results of our study show that the effect of DM on GI symptoms is not a function of disease duration or glycemic control; DM presence itself seems to have adverse effects on the GI system through mechanisms that are yet unknown. The explanation of these mechanisms rely on experimental research and prospective studies with rigid patient inclusion criteria. 

Keywords

:Diabetes mellitus, gastrointestinal tract pathology

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