Motility disorders and gastric emptying in diabetes mellitus. Current diagnostics and treatment

Autonomic neuropathy of the gastrointestinal tract is a common complication of diabetes mellitus. However, it is seldom recognised properly as it is rarely considered. In some patients, it might be asymptomatic or hardly compensatable diabetes can be the only one sign. There are non-invasive diagnostic methods to assess gastric emptying rate (13C-octanoic acid breath test) or myoelectric activity of the stomach (electrogastrography). The principle treatment comprises optimal control of diabetes and use of prokinetics.