title: Diabetic factors associated with gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are more frequent in type 2 diabetic patients and to examine which diabetic factors are associated with the symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive subjects with diabetes and age-/gender-matched normal controls were recruited for this study. GI symptoms were assessed using a structured questionnaire divided into two GI symptom categories (upper and lower GI symptoms), and consisting of 11 individual symptoms. In the diabetic patient group, diabetic complications including peripheral neuropathy, nephropathy and retinopathy, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level and diabetes duration were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the total 190 diabetic patients and 190 controls enrolled, 137 (72%) of the diabetic patients and 116 (62%) of the controls had GI symptoms. In the diabetic patient group, 83 (43%) had upper GI symptoms and 110 (58%) lower GI symptoms; in the control group, 59 (31%) had upper GI symptoms and 104 (55%) lower GI symptoms. This difference between the two groups was significant for only the upper GI symptoms (P = 0.02). Among the diabetic factors, the HbA1c level was the only independent risk factor for upper GI symptoms in the multiple logistic regression analysis (odds ratio = 2.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-3.95).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Type 2 diabetes was associated with an increased prevalence of upper GI symptoms and these symptoms appeared to be independently linked to poor glycemic control, as measured by the HbA1c levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Digestive Disease Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Konkuk University Medical Center, 4-12 Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-729, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyung Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soon Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Sung Noh
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: In-Kyung
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Chan Sub
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Kee-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Dong-Lim
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sook Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeeyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human