Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic disease of the world and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus is over 10% in Taiwan.

Gastroparesis is reported in 5% to 12% of diabetic patients. Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is an uncommon disease resulting compression of the third portion of the duodenum from the superior mesenteric artery. However, SMA syndrome can cause the same symptoms as diabetic gastroparesis.

A research team, led by Dr. Wen-Ming Wang from Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital reported a rare etiology of superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Their study will be published on December 21, 2009 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology.

Their report suggest that diabetic patients with gastrointestinal symptoms and bodyweight loss should be considered for SMA syndrome, despite the gastroparesis is the most common etiology. Computed tomography and upper gastrointestinal series are the reliable tools for diagnosis. Adequate nutrition supply is a useful treatment and the aim is bodyweight gain and symptom relief. Surgery is indicated when conservative treatment fails.

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Reference: Wu MC, Wu IC, Wu JY, Wu DC, Wang WM. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome in a diabetic patient with acute weight loss. World J Gastroenterol 2009; 15(47): 6004-6006 http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/15/6004.asp

Correspondence to: Wen-Ming Wang, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, 100 Tz-You 1st Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan, China. d680027@kmu.edu.tw Telephone: +886-7-3121101 Fax: +886-7-3135612

About World Journal of Gastroenterology

World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG), a leading international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, has established a reputation for publishing first class research on esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, viral hepatitis, colorectal cancer, and H pylori infection and provides a forum for both clinicians and scientists. WJG has been indexed and abstracted in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, Science Citation Index Expanded (also known as SciSearch) and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Index Medicus, MEDLINE and PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Abstracts Journals, Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CAB Abstracts and Global Health. ISI JCR 2008 IF: 2.081. WJG is a weekly journal published by WJG Press. The publication dates are the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of every month. WJG is supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30224801 and No. 30424812, and was founded with the name of China National Journal of New Gastroenterology on October 1, 1995, and renamed WJG on January 25, 1998.