Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a neurological disorder caused by consequences of a primary disease—diabetes mellitus. The diabetic neuropathy may be diffuse, affecting
Neurological damage is the result of chronically elevated blood sugar. Among all complications of diabetes, DN can be one of the most frustrating and debilitating conditions, because of the pain, discomfort, and disability it may cause, and because available treatments are limited and not always successful.
There are three main types of DN:
The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely the development of one or more forms of neuropathy. Approximately 60–70% of patients with diabetes show signs of neuropathy, but only about five percent experience painful symptoms.
According to the categories described above, DN can lead to muscular weakness, loss of feeling or sensation, and loss of autonomic functions such as digestion, erection, bladder control, sweating, and so forth.
In the United States, DN occurs in 10–20% of patients newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM), and its prevalence is up to 50% in elderly patients with DM. Most studies agree that the overall prevalence of symptomatic DN is approximately 30% of all patients with DM. The incidence of DN in the general population is approximately two percent.
Internationally, DN is found in 20–30% of individuals with type-2 diabetes. This number depends on the fiber type being tested and the sensitivity of the exam. Individuals with type-1 diabetes usually develop neuropathy after more than ten years of living with the disease.
It affects men and women equally, but neuropathic pain appears more frequently in females. Minority group members have more secondary complications, such as
Causes of diabetic neuropathy are likely to be different for different types of the disorder. Nerve damage is probably due to a combination of factors, such as:
Symptoms depend on the neuropathy type and affected nerves. Some people show no symptoms at all. Often, symptoms are minor at first, and because most nerve damage occurs over several years, mild cases may go unnoticed for a long time. Symptoms may include:
In addition, weight loss and depression are not a direct consequence of the neuropathy but, nevertheless, often accompany it.
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Author Info: Greiciane Gaburro Paneto, Francisco de Paula Careta, Iuri Drumond Louro, The Gale Group Inc., Gale, Detroit, Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders, 2005 |