Sedigheh Soheilykhah - Assistant Professor of Endocrinology, Yazd Diabetes Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Maryam Rashidi - General Practitioner, Yazd Diabetes Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Farzaneh Dehghan - General Practitioner, Yazd Diabetes Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Ahmad Shojaoddiny-Ardekani - General Practitioner, Yazd Diabetes Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Soodabeh Rahimi-saghand - General Practitioner, Yazd Diabetes Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

Abstract Objective: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the main risk factor of diabetic foot ulcer and its early diagnosis is important to prevent limb amputation. We assessed the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on ۳۵۲ randomly selected diabetic patients using a standardized questionnaire including age, gender, duration of diabetes, BMI, smoking status, HbA۱c, fasting blood glucose, serum creatinine, triglyceride, cholesterol and uric acid as well as past medical history. Peripheral neuropathy was evaluated using United Kingdom Neuropathy Score screening test and ۱۰ gram Semmes Weinstein monofilament tests. Ankle-Brachial Index was also used for detecting peripheral arterial disease. Results: Forty-eight percent of patients were male and ۵۲% were female Mean age of the subjects was ۵۷.۰±۱۰.۳ with a median duration of diabetes of ۱۲.۶±۷.۵ years. The overall prevalence of neuropathy was ۵۹.۳% ۴۰.۳% of patients failed to sense the monofilament. There was a statistically significant correlation between the results of United Kingdom Neuropathy Score screening test and ۱۰-point monofilament testing (r=۰.۴۳, P<۰.۰۰۱). The prevalence increased with age, from ۵.۶% in the participants aged less than ۴۰ years to ۵۱.۸% in patients more than ۶۰ years. Neuropathy was associated with duration of diabetes, and was present in ۱۴.۱% and ۳۴% of patients with diabetes duration less than ۵ years and greater than ۱۵ years, respectively. The prevalence of neuropathy was not significantly different between men and women. Conclusion: Our study showed significant correlation between neuropathy and history of cerebrovascular accident. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a common complication associated with diabetes. It increases with both age and duration of diabetes.

Diabetes, Peripheral neuropathy, Duration of diabetes, Prevalence