Assessment of gastric electrical activity and autonomic function among diabetic and nondiabetic patients with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may present differently in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) than in nondiabetics (NDM). We compared three t ests in two patient groups with GERD symptoms: a DM group (n = 10) and a ND M group (n = 13). The tests were 24-hr esophageal pH, autonomic function te sting (AFT), and electrogastrography (EGG). Analysis of the 23 patients rev ealed the DM group had normal 24-hr pH values (9 of 10 patients, mean pH 3. 1 +/- 1.7), while NDM displayed abnormal pH values (9 of 13 patients, mean pH 21.2 +/- 5.9). AFT results were abnormal in DM (demonstrating cholinergi c/ adrenergic dysfunction), but normal in NDM. EGG values were abnormal in both groups (mean 3.31 +/- 0.1 in each). We conclude that in GERD-symptomat ic patients, those with DM frequently have normal 24-hr pH, but abnormal au tonomic functioning, in contrast to NDM, who have abnormal 24-hr pH but nor mal autonomic function. Both groups had identically abnormal mean EGG value s.