title: Assessment of pain and treatment satisfaction in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus and can have debilitating consequences with a significant impact on quality of life. This study was done to evaluate treatment satisfaction and to describe pain experienced from DPN by patients at our Center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients > or = 18 years of age with a diagnosis of diabetes, were offered a self-administered questionnaire by their health-care provider. In addition to information related to their diabetes, patients were asked if they experienced nerve pain, the characteristics of the nerve pain, impact on activitylevel, sleep, quality of life, and satisfaction with current therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 98 patients, 53.1% female, met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Thirty-one patients (31.6%) reported neuropathic pain, with 83.3% having experienced nerve pain for > or = one year and the majority (67.7%) reporting nerve pain primarily in their feet. Impact of nerve pain on quality of life was noted by 61.3% of patients although 64.5% of patients reported that nerve pain did not cause them to avoid activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Painful DPN is a complication of diabetes mellitus and has a significant impact on quality of life. The results of our questionnaire found about a third of patients with long-standing diabetes have DPN of which about two thirds reported that it affected their quality of life. Surprisingly, almost half of the patients reported being satisfied with their treatment despite severe nerve pain.
authors.affiliation: Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Care at Saint Francis Hospital, Hartford, USA. Idulipsi@stfranciscare.org
authors.forename: Latha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dulipsingh
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zailskas
authors.forename: Tashauna
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goldsby
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McInnis
authors.forename: Aniello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marotta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires