Effects of Rebamipide on Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
BACKGROUND
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Rebamipide is an effective gastric cytoprotective agent, but there are few data on its usefulness in T2DM. The aim of this study is to evaluate the improvement of GI symptoms after rebamipide treatment in patients with T2DM.


METHODS
Patients with T2DM and atypical GI symptoms were enrolled. They took rebamipide (100 mg thrice daily) for 12 weeks and filled out the diabetes bowel symptom questionnaire (DBSQ) before and after rebamipide treatment. The DBSQ consisted of 10 questions assessing the severity of GI symptoms by a 1 to 6 scoring system. Changes in the DBSQ scores before and after rebamipide treatment were analyzed to evaluate any improvements of GI symptoms.


RESULTS
A total of 107 patients were enrolled, and 84 patients completed the study. The mean age was 65.0±7.8, 26 patients were male (24.8%), the mean duration of T2DM was 14.71±9.12 years, and the mean glycosylated hemoglobin level was 6.97%±0.82%. The total DBSQ score was reduced significantly from 24.9±8.0 to 20.4±7.3 before and after rebamipide treatment (P<0.001). The DBSQ scores associated with reflux symptoms, indigestion, nausea or vomiting, abdominal bloating or distension, peptic ulcer, abdominal pain, and constipation were improved after rebamipide treatment (P<0.05). However, there were no significant changes in symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, and anal incontinence. No severe adverse events were reported throughout the study.


CONCLUSIONS
Rebamipide treatment for 12 weeks improved atypical GI symptoms in patients with T2DM.
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Sejeong
S
Park
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
So Young
SY
Park
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
Yu Jin
YJ
Kim
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Soo Min
SM
Hong
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
Suk
S
Chon
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
Seungjoon
S
Oh
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
Jeong Taek
JT
Woo
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
Sung Woon
SW
Kim
Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Young Seol
YS
Kim
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea. bard95@hanmail.net.
Sang Youl
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0119-5818
SY
Rhee
Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Gastrointestinal diseases; Rebamipide