title: A longitudinal study of gastric emptying and upper gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the natural history of gastric emptying and upper gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 20 patients (6 men, 14 women) with diabetes mellitus (16 with type 1 diabetes, 4 with type 2 diabetes). Each had measurements of gastric emptying of a solid (100 g of ground beef) and liquid (150 mL of 10% dextrose) meal using scintigraphy, glycemic control (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA(1c)] and mean blood glucose levels), upper gastrointestinal symptoms, and autonomic nerve function at baseline and after a mean (+/- SD) of 12.3 +/- 3.1 years of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences in mean gastric emptying of the solid component (retention at 100 minutes at baseline: 56% +/- 19% vs. follow-up: 51% +/- 21%, P = 0.23) or the liquid component (time for 50% to empty at baseline: 33 +/- 11 minutes vs. follow-up: 31 +/- 12 minutes, P = 0.71) during follow-up. Mean blood glucose (17.0 +/- 5.6 mmol/L vs. 13.8 +/- 4.9 mmol/L, P = 0.007) and HbA(1c) (8.4% +/- 2.3% vs. 7.6% +/- 1.3%, P = 0.03) levels were lower at follow-up. There was no difference in symptom score (baseline: 3.9 +/- 2.7 vs. follow-up: 4.2 +/- 4.0, P = 0.78). There was evidence of autonomic neuropathy in 7 patients (35%) at baseline and 16 (80%) at follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with diabetes mellitus, we did not observe any marked changes in either gastric emptying or upper gastrointestinal symptoms during a 12-year period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia. karen.jones@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Melanie K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Judith M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wishart
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horowitz
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D018589:Gastroparesis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose