Osteopenia, neurological dysfunction, and the development of Charcot neuroarthropathy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine factors that might be associated with the development of Charcot neuroarthropathy.


METHODS
This cross-sectional prevalence study examined neurological function and bone density in matched groups of neuropathic diabetic patients with and without radiological evidence of Charcot neuroarthropathy.


RESULTS
Patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy had a global impairment of neurological function that was significantly greater than that of otherwise matched non-Charcot neuropathic patients. All 17 Charcot patients had evidence of autonomic neuropathy compared with 10 of the control subjects (P = 0.03). The Charcot patients had evidence of reduced bone density in the lower limbs compared with the neuropathic control subjects (P = 0.009), but relatively preserved bone density in the spine (P = 0.4 vs. control subjects).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that minor trauma in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy might result in a fracture in those with a reduced bone density and thus trigger the development of Charcot neuroarthropathy.
Young
M J
MJ
University Department of Medicine, Manchester Royal Infirmary, United Kingdom.
Marshall
A
A
Adams
J E
JE
Selby
P L
PL
Boulton
A J
AJ
D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000150:complications*; D002607:Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence