title: The prevalence of autonomic and peripheral neuropathy in insulin-treated diabetic subjects.
abstract: The prevalence of autonomic and peripheral neuropathy was examined in 506 diabetic subjects treated with insulin, mean age 43 years, diabetes duration 15 (range 1-54) years. Autonomic neuropathy was present if two or more (of four) cardiovascular autonomic function tests were abnormal using age-related ranges derived from 310 normal control subjects. Peripheral neuropathy was defined as a vibration threshold > 95th centile for age combined with absent/impaired ankle reflexes. Eighty-four (16.6%) of diabetic subjects had abnormal autonomic function and 119 (23.5%) peripheral neuropathy, concordant in 44/506 (8.7%). Of the diabetic subjects with autonomic neuropathy 40/84 (47.6%) did not have peripheral neuropathy and only 44/119 (37.0%) with peripheral neuropathy had abnormal autonomic function (p < 0.001). The prevalence of both neuropathies increased in relation to diabetes duration (both p < 0.001). Autonomic neuropathy was more common in subjects diagnosed < 20 years of age (18.2%) vs age > 40 years (11.1%) (p < 0.05). In contrast peripheral neuropathy was more common with older age at diagnosis (< 20 years 13.5% vs 36.8% > 40 years, p < 0.001). The age-related prevalence of autonomic neuropathy peaked at age 40-49 years while peripheral neuropathy increased progressively with age (p < 0.001). The prevalence of peripheral exceeded autonomic neuropathy 20 years after diagnosis (40.2% vs 30.7%, p < 0.001).
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Bristol Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Corrall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D014732:Vibration