How to diagnose neuropathy in diabetes mellitus?

Year 2018, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 55 - 69, 04.04.2018

Abdulkadir Koçer

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.365221

Abstract

Diabetic neuropathy is a common problem and can
present various clinical presentations such as cranial neuropathy,
radiculopathy, plexopathy, mononeuropathy, polyneuropathy and autonomic
neuropathy. Clinical evaluation and use of scoring systems for the evaluation of
diabetic polyneuropathy is an important step to get correct diagnosis. New
informations about the diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy continue to emerge,
which will lead to correct diagnosis and treatment as well. Diabetic length-dependent
sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) and carpal tunnel syndrome are the most
common seen problems. While acute
and painful situations with motor weakness are mostly transient, sensory fibres
are predominantly involved in chronic ones. Nerve conduction studies are
needed to confirm diagnosis of any type of diabetic neuropathy, but they are
normal in cases with small fiber involvement. The early diagnosis is crucial because it is well-known that
subclinical diabetic neuropathy may be reversed or significantly improved with
diabetes control. Because neuropathy at the stage
in which only small fibers are affected can be reversed, it is important to
diagnose DSPN in these stages. Skin biopsy taken from the dermatomal area of
sural nerve, laser-doppler-imager
flare technique, corneal confocal microscopy are used to assess small fibre dysfunction. The aim of
the present review was to evaluate evidence-based diagnosis for any type of
neuropathy seen in the patients with diabetes mellitus.

Keywords

length-dependent sensorimotor polyneuropathy, small fiber, nerve conduction studies, neuropathic pain, scoring systems, diabetes mellitus

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