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Diagnostic Approach

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Gastrointestinal Complications of Diabetes

Part of the book series: Clinical Gastroenterology ((CG))

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Abstract

Diabetic autonomic neuropathy and coexisting histomorphological and biomechanical gastrointestinal tract remodeling lead to impaired gut motility and bacterial overgrowth in diabetics. The whole gastrointestinal tract may be affected, and we can expect motility disorder, abnormal secretion, absorption and transportation. Clinical consequences of colon engagement are diarrhea, constipation, and fecal incontinence (and their alternation or combination) as the most frequent symptoms of enteropathy. In general, diagnosis of diabetic autonomic neuropathy-related diarrhea, constipation, or fecal incontinence will be made by exclusion. There are no strict recommendations about diagnostic workout, and the most usual recommendations for the diagnostic approach to diabetic autonomic neuropathy-related gastrointestinal disorders are based on the experience of individual clinical centers. Diagnostic workout always starts with a detailed patient history, physical examination, and pathological findings, which indicate further specific testing.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia

    Alen Bišćanin

  2. School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    Alen Bišćanin

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  1. Alen Bišćanin
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia

    Marko Duvnjak

  2. Merkur University Hospital, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia

    Lea Smirčić-Duvnjak

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Bišćanin, A. (2018). Diagnostic Approach. In: Duvnjak, M., Smirčić-Duvnjak, L. (eds) Gastrointestinal Complications of Diabetes . Clinical Gastroenterology. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75856-5_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75856-5_14

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-75855-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-75856-5

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