BMJ  2007;335:57-58 (14 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.39261.687650.47

Editorials

Treating painful diabetic polyneuropathy

As consensus is lacking, protocols need to be devised and implemented locally

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The incidence of diabetes is expected to double over the next two decades, which will result in more people with complications of diabetes.¹ Diabetic polyneuropathy is one of the most common, with a prevalence of around 30-50%. It can have a major impact on patients' quality of life, and treatment is usually needed for many years.^{2 3}

Community based studies report the prevalence of painful diabetic polyneuropathy as around 16-26%,⁴ and in one study 80% of the patients had moderate or severe pain.⁵ Quality of life is reduced in patients with painful diabetic polyneuropathy, with restriction in daily and social activities, and the condition is associated with depression, sleep disturbances, and anxiety.^{3 6 7} In this week's BMJ Wong and colleagues report a systematic review of the effects of drug treatment in painful diabetic polyneuropathy.⁸

Many types of drugs have been studied for relief of pain in diabetic polyneuropathy,⁹ as little evidence exists . . . [Full text of this article]

¹ Tameside General Hospital, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire OL6 9RW , ² Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, Netherlands

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Relevant Article

Effects of treatments for symptoms of painful diabetic neuropathy: systematic review

Man-chun Wong, Joanne W Y Chung, and Thomas K S Wong
BMJ 2007 335: 87. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]