Constipation, hard stools, fecal urgency, and incomplete evacuation, but not diarrhea is associated with diabetes and its related factors

Table 4 Associations between diabetes-related factors and the bowel symptoms in patients with diabetes (n = 241)

	Number of patients (%) or mean ± SD	Crude OR	P value	Adjusted OR (Model 1)1	P value	Adjusted OR (Model 2)2	P value
Constipation
HbA1c ≥ 8.0% (64 mmol/mol)	54/241 (22.4)	2.11 (1.22-3.64)	< 0.01	2.10 (1.21-3.66)	< 0.01	2.11 (1.19-3.73)	0.01
Duration of diabetes (yr)	13.0 ± 8.9	1.02 (0.99-1.04)	0.22	1.02 (1.00-1.05)	0.10	1.02 (0.99-1.05)	0.22
BMI < 25 kg/m²	137/230 (59.6)	1.62 (0.99-2.64)	0.06	1.76 (1.06-2.93)	0.03	2.11 (1.22-3.66)	< 0.01
Cerebro-cardio vascular disease	37/241 (15.3)	1.51 (0.82-2.80)	0.19	1.38 (0.73-2.62)	0.33	1.13 (0.56-2.27)	0.73
Creatinine (μmol/L)	109.6 ± 149.4	0.97 (0.81-1.21)	0.71	0.97 (0.81-1.16)	0.74	1.02 (0.84-1.23)	0.87
Urine protein positive	51/224 (22.8)	0.95 (0.53-1.70)	0.85	0.89 (0.49-1.61)	0.70	0.83 (0.44-1.58)	0.57
Hypoglycemic agents
Insulin	69/241 (28.6)	1.83 (1.11-3.03)	0.02	1.82 (1.07-3.09)	0.03	1.90 (1.08-3.36)	0.03
Sulfonylurea	75/241 (31.1)	0.77 (0.46-1.29)	0.32	0.79 (0.46-1.34)	0.38	0.72 (0.41-1.26)	0.25
Glinide	21/241 (8.7)	1.52 (0.66-3.48)	0.32	1.72 (0.75-3.95)	0.20	2.00 (0.83-4.82)	0.12
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors	68/241 (28.2)	1.01 (0.60-1.68)	0.98	1.04 (0.62-1.76)	0.88	0.99 (0.58-1.71)	0.98
Biguanide	104/241 (43.1)	1.24 (0.78-1.99)	0.36	1.32 (0.81-2.13)	0.26	1.38 (0.82-2.30)	0.22
Thiazolidine	28/241 (11.6)	0.88 (0.41-1.86)	0.73	0.86 (0.40-1.84)	0.69	0.87 (0.40-1.92)	0.74
DPP-4 inhibitors	36/241 (14.9)	0.73 (0.38-1.39)	0.33	0.77 (0.40-1.49)	0.44	0.83 (0.42-1.62)	0.58
Hard stool
HbA1c ≥ 8.0% (64 mmol/mol)	54/241 (22.4)	1.72 (0.99-2.98)	0.05	1.75 (1.00-3.03)	< 0.05	1.71 (0.97-3.02)	0.06
Duration of diabetes (yr)	13.0 (± 8.9)	1.02 (1.00-1.05)	0.08	1.03 (1.00-1.06)	0.07	1.03 (1.00-1.07)	0.04
BMI < 25 kg/m²	137/230 (59.6)	1.24 (0.76-2.01)	0.39	1.28 (0.78-2.11)	0.33	1.44 (0.85-2.45)	0.17
Cerebro-cardio vascular disease	37/241 (15.3)	1.28 (0.68-2.40)	0.44	1.15 (0.60-2.21)	0.67	1.31 (0.65-2.65)	0.45
Creatinine (μmol/L)	109.6 ± 149.4	1.08 (0.94-1.23)	0.28	1.09 (0.95-1.25)	0.22	1.12 (0.97-1.30)	0.12
Urine protein positive	51/224 (22.8)	1.08 (0.60-1.93)	0.80	1.04 (0.57-1.87)	0.91	1.07 (0.57-2.03)	0.83
Hypoglycemic agents
Insulin	69/241 (28.6)	1.08 (0.65-1.81)	0.76	1.10 (0.65-1.88)	0.72	1.08 (0.61-1.90)	0.79
Sulfonylurea	75/241 (31.1)	0.65 (0.39-1.08)	0.10	0.63 (0.37-1.06)	0.08	0.65 (0.38-1.13)	0.13
Glinide	21/241 (8.7)	1.94 (0.83-4.51)	0.13	2.07 (0.88-4.89)	0.10	2.20 (0.90-5.39)	0.08
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors	68/241 (28.2)	1.16 (0.69-1.93)	0.57	1.19 (0.70-2.01)	0.52	1.08 (0.63-1.86)	0.78
Biguanide	104/241 (43.1)	1.01 (0.63-1.61)	0.98	1.05 (0.65-1.70)	0.83	0.97 (0.59-1.62)	0.92
Thiazolidine	28/241 (11.6)	0.84 (0.39-1.80)	0.65	0.81 (0.38-1.75)	0.59	0.76 (0.35-1.66)	0.49
DPP-4 inhibitors	36/241 (14.9)	0.69 (0.35-1.33)	0.27	0.70 (0.36-1.37)	0.29	0.75 (0.38-1.47)	0.40
Fecal urgency
HbA1c ≥ 8.0% (64 mmol/mol)	54/241 (22.4)	0.99 (0.56-1.74)	0.97	0.94 (0.53-1.67)	0.83	0.96 (0.53-1.72)	0.88
Duration of diabetes (yr)	13.0 ± 8.9	1.01 (0.98-1.03)	0.65	1.00 (0.98-1.03)	0.76	1.01 (0.98-1.04)	0.56
BMI < 25 kg/m²	137/230 (59.6)	1.62 (0.98-2.67)	0.06	1.81 (1.08-3.03)	0.03	1.73 (1.00-2.98)	< 0.05
Cerebro-cardio vascular disease	37/241 (15.3)	1.41 (0.73-2.71)	0.31	1.41 (0.72-2.78)	0.32	1.74 (0.84-3.59)	0.14
Creatinine (μmol/L)	109.6 (± 149.4)	1.16 (0.98-1.39)	0.09	1.15 (0.97-1.36)	0.12	1.14 (0.94-1.39)	0.18
Urine protein positive	51/224 (22.8)	0.72 (0.39-1.33)	0.29	0.70 (0.38-1.29)	0.25	0.78 (0.40-1.51)	0.45
Hypoglycemic agents
Insulin	69/241 (28.6)	1.59 (0.95-2.66)	0.08	1.65 (0.96-2.83)	0.07	1.67 (0.94-2.95)	0.08
Sulfonylurea	75/241 (31.1)	0.56 (0.33-0.93)	0.03	0.57 (0.33-0.96)	0.03	0.61 (0.35-1.07)	0.08
Glinide	21/241 (8.7)	1.29 (0.57-2.91)	0.55	1.38 (0.60-3.16)	0.45	1.43 (0.59-3.44)	0.42
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors	68/241 (28.2)	1.17 (0.70-1.96)	0.54	1.18 (0.70-1.98)	0.53	1.22 (0.71-2.08)	0.47
Biguanide	104/241 (43.1)	1.55 (0.97-2.48)	0.07	1.63 (1.01-2.63)	< 0.05	1.65 (0.99-2.73)	0.05
Thiazolidine	28/241 (11.6)	0.77 (0.52-2.12)	0.90	1.08 (0.53-2.21)	0.83	1.23 (0.60-2.54)	0.58
DPP-4 inhibitors	36/241 (14.9)	0.64 (0.33-1.26)	0.20	0.64 (0.32-1.30)	0.20	0.67 (0.34-1.34)	0.26
Incomplete evacuation
HbA1c ≥ 8.0% (64 mmol/mol)	54/241 (22.4)	1.49 (0.85-2.60)	0.16	1.50 (0.86-2.64)	0.15	1.49 (0.84-2.64)	0.18
Duration of diabetes (yr)	13.0 ± 8.9	1.02 (1.00-1.05)	0.08	1.02 (1.00-1.06)	0.07	1.03 (1.00-1.06)	0.08
BMI < 25 kg/m²	137/230 (59.6)	2.09 (1.29-3.40)	< 0.01	2.21 (1.34-3.65)	< 0.01	2.60 (1.52-4.43)	< 0.01
Cerebro-cardio vascular disease	37/241 (15.3)	1.67 (0.89-3.12)	0.11	1.61 (0.84-3.07)	0.15	1.81 (0.90-3.61)	0.09
Creatinine (μmol/L)	109.6 ± 149.4	1.24 (1.08-1.42)	< 0.01	1.25 (1.09-1.43)	< 0.01	1.27 (1.10-1.47)	< 0.01
Urine protein positive	51/224 (22.8)	1.41 (0.80-2.48)	0.24	1.38 (0.78-2.45)	0.27	1.45 (0.79-2.69)	0.23
Hypoglycemic agents
Insulin	69/241 (28.6)	1.65 (0.99-2.76)	0.05	1.77 (1.03-3.02)	0.04	1.92 (1.09-3.38)	0.02
Sulfonylurea	75/241 (31.1)	0.85 (0.52-1.40)	0.53	0.83 (0.50-1.38)	0.47	0.89 (0.52-1.52)	0.68
Glinide	21/241 (8.7)	2.27 (1.00-5.18)	0.05	2.39 (1.03-5.52)	0.04	2.33 (0.95-5.73)	0.06
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors	68/241 (28.2)	0.92 (0.55-1.52)	0.74	0.92 (0.55-1.54)	0.76	0.85 (0.50-1.44)	0.55
Biguanide	104/241 (43.1)	1.19 (0.76-1.89)	0.44	1.22 (0.77-1.94)	0.40	1.15 (0.70-1.87)	0.58
Thiazolidine	28/241 (11.6)	1.07 (0.52-2.25)	0.84	1.07 (0.51-2.24)	0.86	1.14 (0.53-2.42)	0.74
DPP-4 inhibitors	36/241 (14.9)	0.49 (0.26-0.94)	0.03	0.49 (0.25-0.94)	0.03	0.52 (0.27-1.01)	0.05

¹Model 1: Adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and alcohol consumption;

²Model 2: Adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and alcohol consumption after exclusion of organic disease (n = 201). The numbers in parentheses represent the 95% confidence interval. BMI: Body mass index; DPP-4: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4; HbA1c: Glycated hemoglobin; OR: Odds ratio.