Prakash Govindasamy, Vijayaraju Devarajan, Manimala Manivannan, Vasanthakumar J. Angamuthu, Mugundhan Krishnan, Sivakumar Sengottuvelu
BACKGROUND The most important and hidden microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus is diabetic neuropathy. Uncontrolled and prolonged hyperglycaemia is associated with subclinical neuropathy in type 1 diabetes mellitus. Assessment of this complication early will be important in prevention of foot complications that occur due to subclinical peripheral neuropathy. The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of subclinical peripheral neuropathy in patients with type 1 diabetes. METHODS 75 patients who were diagnosed and treated as type 1 diabetes attending the OP of Department of Diabetology- Govt. Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital, Salem, were included in this study during the period of January 2018 to August 2018. The study was conducted after getting ethical committee approval of our institution. The study group consists of 43 males and 32 females. The age at onset, duration of diabetes mellitus, anthropometric measurements, clinical neurological examination and glycaemic assessment were done and recorded. Subclinical peripheral neuropathy was assessed using nerve conduction study at the Department of Neurology at GMKMC, Salem. RESULTS Abnormal nerve conduction was found in 20 patients with 2 patients of diabetes duration less than 5 years, 18 patients had duration more than 5 years. Subclinical Peripheral neuropathy has been found in 20 patients out of 75 type 1 DM study population (26%). CONCLUSIONS Peripheral neuropathy is a major disabling and reversible complication of diabetes mellitus. Neurological assessment is recommended to detect subclinical neuropathy in asymptomatic type 1 diabetes mellitus. Nerve conduction study which is considered as the gold standard method is helpful for early detection of peripheral neuropathy.
