[Association of autonomic neuropathies and gastrointestinal peptides in non-insulin dependent diabetics].

: Basal and postprandial levels of gastrin, somatostatin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) were followed up in 105 patients with non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (20 with autonomic neuropathy only, 35 with peripheric neuropathy only, 30 with autonomic and peripheric neuropathy simultaneously and 20 without any sign of neuropathy) and in the control group of 40 individuals. Serum levels of gastrin, somatostatin, VIP and PP are determined by a RIA (used kits of Prof. SR Bloom, Hammersmith Hospital, London). The results of investigation showed significantly higher basal and postprandial levels of gastrin and VIP in patients with autonomic neuropathy in comparison with the group without neuropathy and with the control group (p < 0.001). The serum levels of somatostatin did not differ significantly between the groups of diabetics with and without neuropathy. Basal level of PP was significantly lower and postprandial PP levels remained low in patients with autonomic neuropathy in comparison with the group without neuropathy (p < 0.001). We postulate that basal and postprandial gastrin and VIP levels raised secondary to partial vagotomy in diabetics with autonomic neuropathy. Measuring PP serum levels in diabetics after a protein rich meal can be useful to check vagus nerve function in the gastrointestinal tract in order to detect autonomic neuropathy.