PubMed ID: 22355020
Author(s): Dyck PJ, Clark VM, Overland CJ, Davies JL, Pach JM, Dyck PJ, Klein CJ, Rizza RA, Melton LJ 3rd, Carter RE, Klein R, Litchy WJ. Impaired glycemia and diabetic polyneuropathy: the OC IG Survey. Diabetes Care. 2012 Mar;35(3):584-91. doi: 10.2337/dc11-1421. PMID 22355020
Journal: Diabetes Care, Volume 35, Issue 3, Mar 2012
OBJECTIVE To test whether diabetic polyneuropathies (DPNs), retinopathy, or nephropathy is more prevalent in subjects with impaired glycemia (IG) (abnormality of impaired fasting glucose [IFG], impaired glucose tolerance [IGT], or impaired HbA(1c) [IA1C]) than in healthy subjects (non-IG).
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Matched IG and non-IG volunteers were randomly identified from population-based diagnostic and laboratory registries, restudied, and reclassified as non-IG (n = 150), IG (n = 174), or new diabetes (n = 218).
RESULTS Frequency (%) of DPN in non-IG, IG, and new diabetes was 3 (2.0%), 3 (1.7%), and 17 (7.8%) narrowly defined (no other cause for polyneuropathy) and 19 (12.7%), 22 (12.6%), and 38 (17.4%) broadly defined. Mean and frequency distribution of composite scores of nerve conduction and quantitative sensation tests were not significantly different between IG and non-IG but were worse in new diabetes. Frequency of retinopathy and nephropathy was significantly increased only in new diabetes. In secondary analysis, small but significant increases in retinopathy and nephropathy were found in IGT, IFG, and IGT combined groups.
CONCLUSIONS In population studies of Olmsted County, Minnesota, inhabitants, prevalence of typical DPN, retinopathy, and nephropathy was significantly increased only in subjects with new diabetes-not in subjects with IG as defined by American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria of abnormality of IFG, IGT, or IA1C. For atypical DPN, such an increase was not observed even in subjects with new diabetes. In medical practice, explanations other than IG should be sought for patients with atypical DPN (chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy) who have IG.