The Prevalence of Neuropathic Symptoms in Diabetic Patients Newly Referred to Our Hospital

Abstract

100 diabetic patients who were newly referred to our hospital and 50 normal controls received 1) physical and chemical examinations, 2) a self-rating deperession score (SDS), and 3) an examination consisting of 18 questions to detect subjective neuropathic symptoms. Many more neuropathic symptoms were found in diabetics than in normal controls; these symptoms included pain and numbness of the extremities, cold sensation, dizziness, constipation, impotence and sweating disorders. Few patients with neuropathic symptoms, however, exhibited neurological findings (tendon reflex, sensory disturbance or dorsal pulsation) or blood glucose control measured by HbA₁. The likelihood of symptoms in the feet or in the urogenital tract increased with the duration of diabetes mellitus. Diabetics were significantly more depressive than normal controls shown by the result of SDS.