Diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy among patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom

Abstract 

Aims

The objective of this study was to describe the proportion and characteristics of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes diagnosed with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK).

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was administered to general practitioners and diabetes specialists. Existing physicians’ records were used to quantify the frequency of DPN diagnoses, and notes from patients’ medical charts were used to characterize symptoms.

Results

The average number of physicians per country was 41 (range of 34–49). The proportion of diabetes patients diagnosed with DPN ranged from 9.6% (95% CI, 7.1–12.2) in Spain to 23.1% (95% CI, 15.4–30.7) in Italy. Of 913 DPN study patients, 55.0% were male, and 78.5% had type 2 diabetes. Mean age was 64.5±12.5 years. A DPN diagnosis was based primarily on symptoms. Approximately 27% of patients had no documented neurological examination. “Prickling” was the most common DPN symptom recorded in France, Italy, and Spain, and “numbness” was the most common in the UK.

Conclusions

Country-specific estimates of DPN diagnosis may reflect clinical management of diabetes and DPN. A substantial number of diagnoses were not associated with a record of a neurological examination.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index, CI, confidence interval, CNOM, Conseil National de l’Ordre des Médecine, COREC, Central Office for Research Ethics Committee, DPN, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, DS, diabetes specialists, GP, general practitioner, RTI, Research Triangle Institute, S.D., standard deviation, UK, United Kingdom, US, United States

Keywords: Diabetes, Diabetic peripheral neuropathy, Severity, Microvascular complications