We surveyed the relationship between shoulder pain and the severity of Diabetes Mellitus. Two hundred and seventy-eight out-patients at our diabetic clinics were examined. There were 137 males and 141females aged from 21 to 91 years(mean 62), with an average of treatment of 14 years. They answered questionnaires with a visual scale system on their then present and past shoulder symptoms. We examined the laboratory data on the blood sugar values, HbAlc and the ophthalmic fundus findings.
The incidence of present pain in patients on a diet was 18.8%, those taking oral medication-19.4%and those receiving insulin injections was 23.3%. The average blood sugar values and HbAlc were hligher in patients with painful shoulders then in the pain-free ones, though there were no statistical differences in either value. There was a higher incidence of painful shoulders in cases of ophthalmic fundus of proliferative or preproliferative diabetic retinopathy then in those of simple diabetic retinopathy or nondiabetic retinopathy.
Eighty-eight patients(31.6%)had a history of shoulder pain at the mean age of 51,11 years after the diabetic treatment. The incidence of past shoulder pain in patients on a diet, taking oral medications and insulin injections was 16.2%,35.0%and 38.5%, and the mean duration of pain of each group was 1.0,2.7 and 3.7 years, respectively. These data may give a hint as to what to anticipate in the prognosis of shoulder pain in diabetic patients.
