The Epidemiology of Diabetic Neuropathy

Although neuropathy has long been recognized as a complication of diabetes, the impact of this condition has not been adequately established. The prevalence of diabetic neuropathy is virtually unknown because the published studies differ considerably with regard to definition, method of assessment, and patient selection. Furthermore, the determination of prevalence has been hampered by the fact that there is no generally accepted classification of the variety of manifestations of diabetic neuropathy. The introduction of new sensitive diagnostic methods aids in the detection of less severe stages of neuropathy, as compared with clinically based assessment, and renders the disease more prevalent. The prevalence of diabetic neuropathy in the few reported population-based studies was approximately 30%. We have evaluated the prevalence of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in a group of approximately 1000 diabetic patients randomly included from 21 hospitals in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The results of this study and those of a prospective study on the natural history of neural dysfunction during the first 5 years after diagnosis of type 1 diabetes will be presented.

[1]  I. Constable,et al.  Prevalence of Diabetic Complications in Relation to Risk Factors , 1986, Diabetes.

[2]  Corrall Rj,et al.  Epidemiology of diabetes and its complications. , 1988 .

[3]  L. Kuller,et al.  Diabetic autonomic neuropathy and cardiovascular risk. Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study III. , 1990, Archives of internal medicine.

[4]  R. Hamman,et al.  Sensory neuropathy in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The San Luis Valley Diabetes Study. , 1990, American journal of epidemiology.

[5]  M. Uusitupa,et al.  Prevalence of Neuropathy in Newly Diagnosed NIDDM and Nondiabetic Control Subjects , 1989, Diabetes.

[6]  R. Loewenson,et al.  Influence of Pancreas Transplantation on Cardiorespiratory Reflexes, Nerve Conduction, and Mortality in Diabetes Mellitus , 1990, Diabetes.

[7]  J. P. O’Hare,et al.  The prevalence of autonomic neuropathy in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: a controlled study based on heart rate variability. , 1986, The Quarterly journal of medicine.

[8]  E. Bass,et al.  Epidemiological Correlates of Diabetic Neuropathy: Report From Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study , 1989, Diabetes.

[9]  D. Claus,et al.  [Perception of vibration. Normal findings and methodologic aspects]. , 1988, Der Nervenarzt.

[10]  A. Boulton,et al.  The Prevalence of Symptomatic, Diabetic Neuropathy in an Insulin-treated Population , 1985, Diabetes Care.

[11]  M. Raschke,et al.  Prevalence of peripheral and autonomic neuropathy in newly diagnosed type II (noninsulin-dependent) diabetes. , 1991, The Journal of diabetic complications.

[12]  J. Mann,et al.  Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy: the Prevalence of Impaired Heart Rate Variability in a Geographically Defined Population , 1989, Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association.

[13]  L. Melton,et al.  Referral Bias in Diabetes Research , 1984, Diabetes Care.

[14]  D. Ewing,et al.  The natural history of diabetic autonomic neuropathy. , 1980, The Quarterly journal of medicine.

[15]  J. Pirart.  Diabetes Mellitus and Its Degenerative Complications: A Prospective Study of 4,400 Patients Observed Between 1947 and 1973 , 1978, Diabetes Care.

[16]  P. Watkins,et al.  Progression of diabetic autonomic neuropathy over a decade in insulin-dependent diabetics. , 1990, The Quarterly journal of medicine.