Prevalence and clinical implications of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetes: results from a nationwide hospital-based study of diabetic neuropathy in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and risk factors for painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN) and evaluate sleep impairment and quality of life in patients with PDPN.


METHODS
Data from the Korean Diabetes Association Neuropathy Study Group were used to evaluate 3999 patients with type 2 diabetes. PDPN was diagnosed using visual analogue scales (VAS) and medical history. The patients were asked to answer the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF), Medical Outcomes Study Sleep (MOS-Sleep) Scale, EuroQol (EQ-5D), and VAS.


RESULTS
Among the patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (n=1338), 577 (43.1%) were diagnosed with PDPN (14.4% of all patients with type 2 diabetes). PDPN was independently associated with age, female gender, fasting plasma glucose, hypertension, and previous cerebrovascular events. All pain severity and interference measures were higher in patients with PDPN than in non-PDPN patients, and patients with PDPN reported more impaired sleep and lower EQ-5D and VAS scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of PDPN in Koreans was comparable to that in Western populations. PDPN may impair sleep and quality of life compared with non-PDPN, and physicians should carefully consider pain symptoms in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea.
Sang Soo
SS
Kim
Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Centre, College of Medicine, Inje University, Seoul, South Korea.
Jong Chul
JC
Won
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Hyuk Sang
HS
Kwon
Department of Internal Medicine, Sejong General Hospital, Bucheon, South Korea.
Chong Hwa
CH
Kim
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, South Korea.
Ji Hyun
JH
Lee
Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, South Korea.
Tae Sun
TS
Park
Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Centre, College of Medicine, Inje University, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: kskomd@paik.ac.kr.
Kyung Soo
KS
Ko
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Bong Yun
BY
Cha
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
Diabetic neuropathy; Pain; Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy; Quality of life; Type 2 diabetes