Prevalence and Severity of Neuropathy in Patients with Type II Diabetes in Zahedan, Iran

Neuropathy is one of the most prevalent side effects of type II diabetes mellitus. This disorder is an early complication in type II diabetic patients. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of neuropathy among subjects with type II diabetes.

The present descriptive-analytical study was carried out on a total of 195 patients with type 2 diabetes in Zahedan, Iran, in 2018 using systematic sampling. To determine the severity of neuropathy, the nerve and muscle measurement tests of electromyography and nerve conduction velocity were performed. Neuropathy was categorized into three sensory, motor, and autosomal groups. Then, the obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22).

The results of the present study showed that the overall prevalence of neuropathy in diabetic patients referring to the diabetic clinic was 42.1% (n=82). Regarding the distribution of neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes in Zahedan, 72% (n=59), 24.4% (n=20), and 3.7% (n=3) of the patients were diagnosed with sensory neuropathy, motor neuropathy, and autonomic neuropathy, respectively. There was no significant relationship between the studied variables, such as age, disease duration, blood sugar, triglyceride, and hypertension, with the type of neuropathy.

According to the obtained results, the prevalence of neuropathy has been increasing in diabetic patients; therefore, special health planning is required to control diabetes for the reduction of the complications of the disease. It is recommended to provide access to periodic screening methods for patients and individuals at risk with positive family history, previous cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and age of over 30 years. In case diabetes can be better controlled, the associated side effects can be decreased, which in turn can reduce the effects of disability and treatment costs