Shahab Abid, Wasim Jafri, Amir Rizvi, Firdous Jahan, Fauziah Rabbani, Najmul Islam, Masood H Khan, Rana Masood.
Poor glycemic control is the major factor associated with increased frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with diabetes mellitus.
J Pak Med Assoc Jan ;57(7):345-9.

Objective: To compare the GI symptoms in diabetic patients with controls and its relationship with the complications, duration of diabetes and glycaemic control. Methods: Consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled in to two groups. Group I (diabetic patients) and Group II (non-diabetic, Controls). Patient`s characteristics, demographic profiles and GI symptoms were evaluated on a questionnaire. Groups were compared for differences in various GI symptoms. Group I was further analyzed for the relationship between GI symptoms with complications, duration of diabetes and glycemic control. Results: A total of 514 patients were enrolled 250 were diabetics (group I) and 264 were non-diabetics (groupII). Mean age was 51.8 +10.6 years and 50.2 +9.2 years in groups i and ii respectively. All GI symptoms; heartburn, dyspepsia, bowel related abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, and faecal incontinence were significantly more in diabetics than controls (P<. 05).The presence of diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy and HbA1c of >7 were significantly (P<. 05) related to GI symptoms. Duration of diabetes (>10 years) was not found significantly linked to GI symptoms. Conclusions: GI symptoms in diabetics were more frequent then control subjects and were significantly associated with poor glycemic control, neuropathy and retinopathy but not with duration of diabetes. Number of GI symptoms increases with the severity of poor glycemic control in diabetic patients (JPMA57:345:2007).

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com