Study of Prevalence of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in Newly Diagnosed Patients of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in a Tertiary Care Hospital

ABSTRACT

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) is growing worldwide, and these patients may beasymptomatic and present with complications at the time ofdiagnosis. Diabetic neuropathy is the most commoncomplication affecting the patients who may present with distalpolyneuropathy at the time of diagnosis and also poorglycaemic control. The Diabetic peripheral polyneuropathyaffects approximately 1 in every 10 newly diagnosed patients,whereas two third of patients with diabetes mellitus haveclinical or subclinical neuropathy.Objective: This study is designed to find prevalence of diabeticperipheral neuropathy in Newly Diagnosed Patients of T2DM ina tertiary care hospital.Materials and Methods: This observational study was carriedout in patients diagnosed with T2DM as per ADA criteria. Athorough clinical examination; Nerve conduction velocitytesting; evaluation of plasma glucose and glycosylatedhemoglobin and assessment of neuropathy by using theDiabetic neuropathy index and diabetic neuropathy score wasperformed on all patients.Results: 18% of patients had signs of peripheral neuropathyas shown by NCV testing at the time of diagnosis. Thesepatients had elevated levels of glycosylated hemoglobin,fasting plasma glucose and 2-hour plasma glucose and lowerscores of DNI and DNS which were statistically significant. Themost common type of neuropathy seen in these patients wassensorimotor involvement with demyelinating type ofneuropathy with more involvement of lower limbs. The NCVstudies showed reduced distal latency and prolongedamplitude as well as conduction velocity in patients withdiabetic neuropathy.Conclusion: Our study showed that approximately 1 in 5newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are atrisk of developing diabetic peripheral neuropathy.