Institution: | 1. Division of Gastroenterology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey;2. Division of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey;3. Department of Radiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey;4. Department of Pathology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey;5. Division of Endocrinology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey |
Abstract: | ObjectivesTo evaluate the relationship between exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and the level of glycemic control in diabetes (DM).MethodsPatients with type 2 DM treated in our clinic were prospectively recruited into the study. Pancreatic diabetes was excluded. Cases with HbA1c ≥7% formed Group A (n = 59), and with HbA1c <7% Group B (n = 42). The fecal level of pancreatic elastase (PE-1) was measured and morphological examinations of the pancreas were performed.ResultsThe PE-1 level was significantly lower in Group A than in Group B (385.9 ± 171.1 μg/g, vs. 454.6 ± 147.3 μg/g, p = 0.038). The PE-1 level was not correlated with HbA1c (r = ?0.132, p = 0.187), the duration of DM (r = ?0.046, p = 0.65), age (r = 0.010, p = 0.921), BMI (r = 0.203, p = 0.059), or pancreatic steatosis (r = 0.117, p = 0.244). The size of the pancreas did not differ significantly between Groups A and B.ConclusionsAn exocrine pancreatic insufficiency demonstrated by fecal PE-1 determination is more frequent in type 2 DM patients with poor glycemic control. The impaired exocrine pancreatic function cannot be explained by an alteration in the size of the pancreas or by pancreatic steatosis. |