cEndocr Pract. 2022 Dec 23;S1530-891X(22)00904-1. doi: 10.1016/j.eprac.2022.12.014.Online ahead of print.

Gamal Mashali ¹, Ajay Kaul ², Jane Khoury ³, Joshua Corsiglia ⁴, Lawrence M Dolan ⁵, Amy S Shah ⁵

Author information

¹Division of Pediatric Endocrine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio. Electronic address: drgamalmashali@gmail.com.

²Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.

³Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.

⁴Xavier University, College of Arts and Science, Cincinnati, Ohio.

⁵Division of Pediatric Endocrine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of gastric sensory motor symptoms in youth with type 1 diabetes.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate symptoms of delayed gastric emptying in participants with type 1 diabetes, aged 12 to 25 years, using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) questionnaire. In addition, a 5-year (January 2015 to December 2019), a retrospective study was completed on all gastric emptying scans performed in youth at our institution.

Results: A total of 359 participants (mean age, 17.7 ± 3.33 years) with type 1 diabetes completed the GCSI questionnaire. Compared with nonresponders, responders were more likely to be non-Hispanic White (90% vs 86%; P =.003) and female patients (58% vs 44%; P <.0001), with a lower HbA1c (8.1 ± 1.8 vs 9.0 ± 2.1; P <.0001). At least 1 gastrointestinal symptom was reported in 270 (75%) of responders, of which nausea was the most common (71%). A GCSI score of ≥1.9 suggestive of more severe gastrointestinal symptoms was reported in 17% of responders. Participants with scores ≥1.9 were older (19.1 ± 3.0 vs 17.8 ± 3.3 years; P =.01). In the retrospective study, 778 underwent gastric emptying scan, 29 participants had type 1 diabetes and 11 (38%) showed delayed gastric emptying.

Conclusion: Gastrointestinal symptoms related to gastric sensory motor abnormalities are seen in youth and young adults with type 1 diabetes. In particular, for those with higher GCSI scores, earlier recognition and referral may be warranted.