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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Endocrinol.
Sec. Clinical Diabetes
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fendo.2025.1470523

Clinical Features of Pneumatosis Intestinalis Induced by Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A single center retrospective study

Provisionally accepted
Guanlin Wu Guanlin Wu 1Weiheng He Weiheng He 2Huimin Rao Huimin Rao 2Lin Lu Lin Lu 3Xuewen Hou Xuewen Hou 4*
  • 1 School of Clinical Medicine, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China
  • 2 Department of Radiology, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region People's Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Region, China
  • 3 Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region People's Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Region, China
  • 4 Department of Radiology,The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Purpose Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a rare but significant side effect associated with the use of alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (αGI) in the treatment of diabetes. This study aims to analyze the clinical features of PI induced by αGIs in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with PI between January 2018 and December 2023. Data collected included demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms and signs, laboratory findings, imaging results, endoscopic manifestations, treatments, and outcomes. Clinical characteristics were compared between patients who used acarbose and those who did not.Results A total of 48 patients with PI were included in the study, of whom 22 had used acarbose and 26 had not. The acarbose taken group was significantly older than the acarbose untaken group. Additionally, the prevalence of coronary heart disease and hypertension was markedly higher in patients taking acarbose. Importantly, total bilirubin levels were lower in those with PI who were on acarbose therapy.Our findings highlight the need for increased vigilance regarding the potential development of PI in older diabetic patients with cardiovascular conditions following αGI administration. Timely intervention is crucial to prevent adverse outcomes. This study offers valuable insights for the future management of αGI in diabetes treatment.

    Keywords: type 2 diabetes, Acarbose, side effects, Pneumatosis intestinalis, Clinical features

    Received: 25 Jul 2024; Accepted: 13 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Wu, He, Rao, Lu and Hou. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Xuewen Hou, Department of Radiology,The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.