Association of comorbidities with increasing severity of peripheral neuropathy in diabetes mellitus

AIM: To analyze a large population of patients with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy(PN) to determine other meaningful comorbid etiologies for PN.METHODS: Peripheral Neuropathy is a common complication of type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus;however,other potential causes for PN may be co-existing in patients with diabetes.A prospective cohort study was performed to assess patients with diabetes and PN.We compared patients having PN due solely to diabetes with patients possessing co-existing comorbidities,performing clinical(Toronto Clinical Scoring System and the Utah Early Neuropathy Scale),laboratory and electrophysiological assessments in all patients.RESULTS: Patients with either type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus and co-existing comorbidities did not have more severe clinical or electrophysiological PN phenotypes overall.However,in patients with type 1 diabetes,presence of a lipid disorder was associated with greater PN severity.In type 2 diabetes patients,both a lipid disorder and cobalamin deficiency were associated with greater PN severity.There was no additive effect upon PN severity with presence of three or more comorbid etiologies.CONCLUSION: The presence of specific,and not general,comorbidities in patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes corresponds with greater PN severity.