E. Bertin et al., Gastric emptying is accelerated in obese type 2 diabetic patients without autonomic neuropathy, DIABETE MET, 27(3), 2001, pp. 357-364
Objective: To clarify the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus on the gastric
emptying rate.
Material and methods: Using a double-isotope scintigraphic technique, we as
sessed the gastric emptying of a standard liquid-solid meal in 13 obese typ
e 2 diabetic patients without autonomic neuropathy(age: 47.4 +/- 8.6 yr, bo
dy mass index: 33.9 +/- 4.8 kg/m(2), glycaemia: 9.1 +/- 2.6 mmol/l) and in
7 controls with similar sex ratio, age, BMI and body fat distribution.
Results: The half gastric emptying time for the liquid phase was not signif
icantly different between diabetic patients and controls (respectively: 52.
7 +/- 14.5 min and 63.1 +/- 15.2 min). However, the half gastric emptying t
ime for the solid phase was significantly shortened in diabetic patients ve
rsus controls (respectively 88.8 +/- 23.2 min in diabetic patients and 113.
6 +/- 26.9 min in controls; p < 0.04). Furthermore, a negative relationship
was highlighted between the half gastric emptying time for the solid phase
and basal glycaemia (r = -0.65, p < 0.02) in diabetic patients. No signifi
cant relationship was found between gastric emptying parameters and cardiac
autonomic nerve function, insulin or gastrin levels.
Conclusion: Solid gastric emptying is accelerated in obese type 2 diabetic
patients without patent autonomic neuropathy when compared to obese non dia
betic patients.