Summary
- Hyperglycaemia contributes to the pathogenesis of microvascular complications (including neuropathy) in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Other metabolic and vascular factors have also been suggested to be contributing factors.
- The clinical presentation comprises a broad constellation of symptoms and deficits, involving all sensory, motor, and autonomic nerve fibres.
- Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the most common chronic complication of diabetes, characterised by the presence of peripheral nerve dysfunction, diagnosed after the exclusion of other causes. Pain is the outstanding complaint in most patients, but many patients are completely asymptomatic.
- Treatment has traditionally focused on control of hyperglycaemia as a means of slowing progression or delaying onset, on targeting potential pathogenic mechanisms, and on pain reduction.
- Pregabalin (a voltage-gated calcium channel modulator) and duloxetine (a selective dual serotonin-noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor) are the only prescription drugs that are approved for treating pain in diabetic peripheral neuropathy in some countries.
Other related conditions
- Type 1 diabetes
- Type 2 diabetes in adults
- Diabetic cardiovascular disease
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Diabetic nephropathy
- Acute intermittent porphyria
- Assessment of polyneuropathy
- Vitamin B12 deficiency
- Folate deficiency
- Sarcoidosis
- Leprosy
- Polyarteritis nodosa
- Overview of leukaemia
- Amyloidosis
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Myasthenia gravis
- Overview of chronic alcoholism
- Degenerative cervical spine disease
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
- Primary hypothyroidism
- Mononeuritis multiplex
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Assessment of proteinuria
- Acromegaly
- Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy
- Gangrene
- Overview of acute coronary syndrome
- Depression
- Pressure ulcer
- Chronic renal failure
- Spinal cord compression
- Lead toxicity
- Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance
- Hypercoagulable state
Last updated: Apr 08, 2013
