Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and diabetes mellitus

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) in diabetic patients is frequent. Studies based on fecal elastase-1 measurement give prevalence rates of 10‒30 % of severe and 22‒56 % of moderate EPI in type 1 and rates of 5‒46 % in type 2 diabetic patients. Nevertheless, not all patients report typical symptoms like diarrhea, steatorrhea and weight loss. For noninvasive testing the determination of fecal elastase-1 has the highest sensitivity and specificity. This test should be performed at least in all symptomatic patients. As differential diagnosis celiac disease (with a prevalence of about 3–5 % of type 1 diabetic patients), autonomic neuropathy, but also diseases like irritable bowel syndrome and gastrointestinal tumors have to be taken into account. Patients with symptoms and a fecal elastase-1 < 100 µg/g should be treated with pancreatic enzymes in adequate daily doses administered at main meals. Treatment improves symptoms significantly, supply with fat soluble vitamins is normalised, risk for osteoporosis is reduced. However, improvement of glucose metabolism has not been demonstrated consistently. A pancreatogenic diabetes, also termed as type 3c diabetes, has not necessarily to be treated with insulin, often—at least initially—treatment with oral antidiabetic drugs is sufficient.