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FYIGI Symptoms Linked to Poor GlycemicControl in Diabetics WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Sept 18 - Results of a largeAustralian study add fuel to the controversy surrounding theproposed link between diabetes and gastrointestinal illness.The new study demonstrates that diabetic patients do, in fact,have higher rates of GI symptoms than others and links thisassociation to poor glycemic control. However, whether poor glycemic control precipitates thedevelopment of GI symptoms, or vice versa, is not yet clear,Dr. Nicholas J. Talley, of the University of Sydney, in NewSouth Wales, and a multicenter team say in the September 10thissue of Archives of Internal Medicine. The investigators examined the prevalence of GI symptoms indiabetic and nondiabetic individuals by mailing questionnairesto 15,000 Australian adults. A total of 8657 responded, ofwhom 423 (4.9%) reported having diabetes. Consistent with some earlier studies, individuals with diabetesreported a higher rate of GI symptoms than others. In fact, ratesof all 16 individual GI symptoms examined, and five symptomcomplexes, were all significantly higher in diabetics than incontrols after adjustment for age and gender. When Dr. Talley and others looked at which diabetes-relatedfactors were associated with the excess risk of GI symptoms,they found that poor glycemic control was a significant factor,whereas duration of diabetes and type of treatment were not.Moreover, the link between poor glycemic control and GIsymptoms was dose-dependent, with higher levels of GIsymptoms associated with poorer glycemic control. While the new findings do not refute the hypothesis thatautonomic nerve dysfunction explains GI symptoms indiabetics, they do not support it either, the researchers note. "Iflong-term diabetic complications, such as autonomicneuropathy, played a major role, we would expect anassociation with duration of known diabetes," they say. Arch Intern Med 2001;161:1989-1996. ------------------Moderator of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Anxiety and Hypnotherapy forum.I work with Mike building his websites. www.ibsaudioprogram and www.healthyaudio.com I also work with Mike in IBS clinical trials using Mikes tapes at an IBS research facility.My own website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com Please visit for accurate information on IBS.