Authors: A. Kles, Keri; Bril, Vera

Source: Current Diabetes Reviews, Volume 2, Number 3, August 2006 , pp. 353-361(9)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

Diabetes and its complications are major causes of mortality in the United States, with increasing rates of morbidity and increasing health care costs. Patients diagnosed with diabetes attempt to control cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels to decrease the risk of diabetic microvascular complications (DMC), such as diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSP) [also known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN)]. Despite control of these risk factors for vascular disease, many patients still develop DSP. Research investigating diabetic neuropathy holds promise for specific treatment of diabetic complications. Intrinsic to the success of new therapies is the accurate diagnosis and evaluation of DSP. Symptom scores, quantitative sensory testing and electrophysiology are some of the diagnostic tools to identify the signs and symptoms of DSP. Early detection of neuropathy enables clinicians to prevent long-term complications like ulcers and amputations in patients with diabetes. The focus of this review is to describe the composite of tools necessary for diagnosis of DSP.

Keywords: Diabetic Sensorimotor Polyneuropathy (DPN); Vibration perception threshold (VPT); Diagnostic tools; diabetes; Quantitative sensory testing (QST); Diabetic microvascular complications

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157339906777950598

Affiliations: 1: University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital, 13N-1382, 585 University Ave., Toronto, Canada, m5G2N2.

Publication date: 2006-08-01

More about this publication?

• Current Diabetes Reviews publishes frontier reviews on all the latest advances on diabetes and its related areas e.g. pharmacology, pathogenesis, complications, epidemiology, clinical care, and therapy.
  
  The journal's aim is to publish the highest quality review articles dedicated to clinical research in the field. The journal is essential reading for all researchers and clinicians who are involved in the field of diabetes.

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