Related risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective To explore the related risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Huizhou of Guangdong Province.

Methods A total of 84 hospitalized patients with newly diagnosed T2DM from January 2020 to June 2021 in the ward of department of endocrinology in Huizhou Central People′s Hospital were selected as study objects and were divided into DPN group (n=51, 33 males and 18 females) and control group (n=33, 19 males and 14 females) based on whether they had DPN or not.The general data and biochemical indexes of two groups were compared, and the motor conduction velocity (MNCV) and sensory conduction velocity (SNCV) of median nerve, ulnar nerve, tibial nerve and common peroneal nerve were compared.Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between indicators with statistical significance and DPN in newly diagnosed T2DM patients, and multivariate unconditional Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors of DPN.

Results Compared with control group, age, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, the velocity of weight loss and the rate of smoking were significantly higher than those in the control group, the body weight and body mass index (BMI) at admission were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05).MNCV of median nerve and ulnar nerve and SNCV of median nerve, ulnar nerve, tibial nerve and common peroneal nerve in the DPN group were lower than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that age, HbA1c, the velocity of weight loss and smoking were positively correlated with DPN in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM (P < 0.05).Multivariate unconditional Logistic regression analysis showed that older age, elevated HbA1c andrapid weight loss were the independent risk factors for DPN in newly diagnosed T2DM patients (P < 0.05).

Conclusion Older age, elevated HbA1c and the rapid weight loss are the risk factors for the occurrence of DPN in patients newly diagnosed as T2DM in Huizhou of Guangdong Province.