Type of publication:
Conference abstract
Author(s):
*Rai D., *Kalidindi S., *Moulik P., *Macleod A.
Citation:
Diabetic Medicine, March 2015, vol./is. 32/(118)
Abstract:
Up to 5% of people with Type 1 diabetes have been reported to have gastroparesis. We present the case of a 19-year-old female who presented to hospital with diabetic ketoacidosis due to intractable vomiting. She developed Type 1 diabetes aged 8. Initial diabetes control was very poor, with a peak HbA1c of 167mmol/ mol and she developed severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. One year prior to admission, she actively improved her blood sugars and dropped her HbA1c gradually down to 105mmol/mol. Paradoxically this seems to have worsened her vomiting. She denied any other symptoms of enteropathy and had no signs of autonomic or peripheral neuropathy. A CT and MRI brain were negative. She developed malnutrition requiring total parenteral nutrition and trials of prokinetics, dietary modifications were unsuccessful. A percutaneous endoscopic gastrotomy-jejunal tube was inserted which allowed simultaneous post pyloric feeding and gastric decompression. After a period of stable blood glucose with an HbA1c of 48mmol/mol, she had a formal gastric emptying study which confirmed severe delayed gastric emptying with a time (lag) of 87 min (normal <55) and half-life of 119 min (normal <80). Gastroscopy showed severe reflux oesophagitis consistent with delayed gastric emptying. She is currently awaiting a gastric pacemaker and manages to have small frequent meals with supplemental jejunal feeding. Diabetic gastroparesis is usually associated with peripheral and autonomic neuropathy, but she seems to have isolated gastroparesis. She also developed severe depression, psychological issues which required cognitive behavioural therapy. These issues could have worsened her symptoms.
Link to full-text: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dme.12668_1/pdf