Gallbladder volume and emptying in insulin-requiring male diabetics

Abstract

Gallbaladder function was evaluated in 27 healthy male volunteers and 47 male insulinrequiring diabetics from a diabetic clinic. Three groups of patients were studied: 18 patients without neuropathy or retinopathy (A); 17 patients with evidence of peripheral neuropathy (B); and 12 patients with evidence of peripheral and autonomic neuropathy (C). Eleven patients complained of gastrointestinal symptoms (three in group B, eight in group C). Thirty minutes after a standard breakfast, fasting gallbladder volumes and gallbladder emptying rates were measured using a real-time mechanical sector ultrasound scanner. Fasting gallbladder volume in diabetic patients was similar to controls (24.9±2.7N; 28.9±3.9A; 23.7±2.2B; 16.7±3.4C ml mean±sem). Postprandial gallbladder emptying was not significantly different in any groups (47.4±5.1%N; 43.2±7.7%A; 50.7±7.7%B; 46.8±11.1%C). Seven diabetics and two controls had poor gallbladder emptying. One screened patient had cholecystectomy, three patients had stones, and two had sludge with a thickened gallbladder wall for a total of 12.5% gallbladder disease. These data suggest that gallbladder dysfunction in male insulin-requiring diabetics is rare.