New guidelines equip physicians with better information on the condition.
An estimated 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes develop some form of diabetic neuropathy, or the chronic nerve damage diabetes causes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
With so many people affected, researchers at Michigan Medicine led a group of internationally recognized endocrinologists and neurologists from both sides of the Atlantic and teamed up with the American Diabetes Association to craft a new position statement on the prevention, treatment and management of the condition.
The statement provides recommendations for physicians on the overall prevention of diabetic neuropathy, noting that preventing this complication is a key component of diabetes care because treatments to reverse the underlying nerve damage are lacking. It also delves into various diabetic neuropathies and suggests guidelines to manage and treat each.
Related Articles
- Characterisation of Immune and Neuroinflammatory Changes Associated with Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
- Disease burden and pain in obese cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
- Peroneal neuropathy in giant cell arteritis
- Increased Fall Risk With Subclinical Peroneal Neuropathy
The ADA last released a statement on diabetic neuropathy in 2005. This update better reflects the current landscape of diabetic neuropathy care.
After establishing the classification system, the research team provides recommendations for overall prevention of diabetic neuropathy, including:
- In type 1 diabetes, work to effectively control glucose as soon as possible to prevent or delay the development of DSPN and CAN.
- In type 2 diabetes, work to effectively control glucose to prevent or slow the progression of DSPN.
- With type 2 diabetes, consider a multifactorial approach with targeting glycemia and other risk factors to prevent CAN.
