Blunting of Colon Contractions in Diabetics with Gastroparesis Quantified by Wireless Motility Capsule Methods.
Generalized gut transit abnormalities are observed in some diabetics with gastroparesis. Relations of gastric emptying abnormalities to colon contractile dysfunction are poorly characterized. We measured colon transit and contractility using wireless motility capsules (WMC) in 41 healthy subjects, 12 diabetics with gastroparesis (defined by gastric retention >5 hours), and 8 diabetics with normal gastric emptying (≤5 hours). Overall numbers of colon contractions >25 mmHg were calculated in all subjects and were correlated with gastric emptying times for diabetics with gastroparesis. Colon transit periods were divided into quartiles by time and contraction numbers were calculated for each quartile to estimate regional colon contractility. Colon transit in diabetics with gastroparesis was prolonged vs. healthy subjects (P<0.0001). Overall numbers of colon contractions in gastroparetics were lower than controls (P = 0.02). Diabetics with normal emptying showed transit and contraction numbers similar to controls. Gastric emptying inversely correlated with overall contraction numbers in gastroparetics (r = -0.49). Numbers of contractions increased from the 1st to 4th colon transit quartile in controls and diabetics with normal emptying (P≤0.04), but not gastroparetics. Numbers of contractions in the 3rd and 4th quartiles were reduced in gastroparetics vs. healthy controls (P≤0.05) and in the 4th quartile vs. diabetics with normal emptying (P = 0.02). Numbers of contractions were greatest in the final 15 minutes of transit, but were reduced in gastroparetics vs. healthy controls and diabetics with normal emptying (P≤0.005). On multivariate analyses, differences in numbers of contractions were not explained by demographic or clinical variables. In conclusion, diabetics with gastroparesis exhibit delayed colon transit associated with reductions in contractions that are prominently blunted in latter transit phases and which correlate with delayed gastric emptying, while diabetics with normal emptying show no significant colonic impairments. These findings emphasize diabetic gastroparesis may be part of a generalized dysmotility syndrome.
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America.
Radoslav
R
Coleski
Department of Biostatistics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
Gregory E
GE
Wilding
Medtronic, Sunnyvale, California, United States of America.
John R
JR
Semler
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America.
William L
WL
Hasler
D000328:Adult; D053704:Capsule Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000502:physiology; D018589:Gastroparesis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology