Diabetes research and clinical practice
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Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. · Feb 2000
Multicenter StudyPainful diabetic polyneuropathy: epidemiology, pain description, and quality of life.
A prospective survey study was performed in patients with painful diabetic polyneuropathy (PDN) to assess the nature and scope of their pain. Pain associated with diabetic neuropathy is commonly encountered in clinical practice. Yet, little is known regarding the pain experience and impact on quality of life in persons with painful diabetic neuropathy. ⋯ On average, patients reported that the pain caused substantial interference in sleep and enjoyment of life and moderate interference in recreational activities, normal work, mobility, general activity, social activities, and mood. Unexpectedly, a potential genetic predisposition to the development of painful neuropathy was suggested by the fact that a majority (56%) reported a family member with PDN. Thus, this study found that pain associated with diabetic neuropathy is a significant medical issue that has a substantial impact on the quality of life of many people with this condition.
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Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. · Feb 2000
Methods for assessing diabetic polyneuropathy: validity and reproducibility of the measurement of sensory symptom severity and nerve function tests.
The usefulness of sensory symptoms in the assessment of diabetic polyneuropathy is unclear. In the present study, we studied the hypothesis that pain is associated with small nerve fibre function, and that sensory alteration is associated with large nerve fibre function. In addition, we assessed the reproducibility and the ability to detect changes in clinical status over time of the nerve function tests currently used in clinical trials. ⋯ The SDD of the TDT was greater than the VPT (9-14% vs 21-28%, respectively). In conclusion, neuropathic pain was not associated with small nerve fibre function, and sensory alteration was associated with both large and small fibre function. In addition, the standardized measurement of symptom severity, the SNCV and MNCV tests, and the VPT test appear to be useful for monitoring the course of polyneuropathy in clinical trials.