Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 and feeding on gastric volumes in diabetes mellitus with cardio-vagal dysfunction

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) increases gastric volume in humans possibly through the vagus nerve. Gastric volume response to feeding is preserved after vagal denervation in animals. We evaluated gastric volume responses to GLP-1 and placebo in seven diabetic patients with vagal neuropathy in a crossover study. We also compared gastric volume response to feeding in diabetes with that in healthy controls. We measured gastric volume using SPECT imaging. Data are median (interquartile range). In diabetic patients, GLP-1 did not increase gastric volume during fasting [5 mL (-3; 30)] relative to placebo [4 mL (-14; 50) P = 0.5], or postprandially [Δ postprandial minus fasting volume 469 mL (383; 563) with GLP-1 and 452 mL (400; 493) with placebo P = 0.3]. Change in gastric volume over fasting in diabetic patients on placebo was comparable to that of healthy controls [452 mL (400; 493)], P = 0.5. In contrast to effects in health, GLP-1 did not increase gastric volume in diabetics with vagal neuropathy, suggesting GLP-1's effects on stomach volume are vagally mediated. Normal gastric volume response to feeding in diabetics with vagal neuropathy suggests that other mechanisms compensate for vagal denervation.