This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of such a common and morbid neuropathy complication in a sample of Saudi diabetic patients.
Methods: A descriptive questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample of all diabetic patients who attend the specialist diabetes and endocrine center in Prince Mansour Military Hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia. A monofilament test was used to identify diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) cases, whereas its associated factors were identified through generalized linear logistic regression analysis.
Results: The study included (n=343) diabetic patients. The prevalence of DPN was 84.8% of patients (n=291). Dyslipidemia increased the risk for DPN by 98.4% (p=0.04614). An interaction existed between the duration of diabetes and HbA1c levels in terms of their effect on DPN. When the interaction term is included, a positive association between DPN and both HbA1c (increased risk by 46.2%, p=0.03222) and DM duration (increased risk by 19.6%, p=0.04497). Cardiovascular disease reduced DPN risk by 62.1% (p=0.03516) and retinopathy reduced DPN risk by 60.9% (p=0.00782).
Conclusions: Over four out of every five patients have peripheral neuropathy. This is because our study was conducted among a high-risk group of attendees at the specialist diabetic center. Dyslipidaemia, poor glycaemic control, and longer diabetes duration were associated with peripheral neuropathy in our participants, confirming a direct nerve-damaging effect for high levels of lipoproteins, glucose and lipids in the blood.
Source: Alfaez S, Alsalmi T, Alfeer R, Alghamdi E, Almalki B, Alfadhly A. Prevalence of Neuropathy and its Associated Factors Among Patients with Diabetes Presenting to the Specialist Diabetes and Endocrine Center in Taif, Saudi Arabia. Available at
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