Differential diagnosis of polyneuropathies in diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is heterogeneous in its clinical course and clinical manifestations. Depending on the primary lesion of large or small nerve fibers, different onset, course and clinical manifestations of polyneuropathy are possible. In patients with diabetes, the incidence of associated lesions of the peripheral nervous system is high. When verifying the diagnosis of DPN, it is necessary to carry out a differential diagnosis with a number of diseases: paraneoplastic neuropathies, metabolic neuropathies, neuropathies in vasculitis, toxic neuropathies, autoimmune neuropathies, inflammatory neuropathies and hereditary neuropathies. Diabetes is not the only cause of polyneuropathy. Up to 50% of all cases of polyneuropathies in diabetes have additional causes. Diagnosis of diabetic polyneuropathy - diagnosis of exclusion. The development of polyneuropathy in patients with a duration of type 1 diabetes less than 5 years, the absence of nephropathy and / or retinopathy, asymmetry in symptoms and signs, the predominance of motor symptoms, beginning with upper limb lesions, rapid progression should justify the doctor for differential diagnostic search. You should also take into account the characteristics of the patient (old age, vegetarianism and alcohol use), medical and toxic effects (taking metformin> 3 years and> 2 g / day; cytostatics, chemotherapy, heavy metals), family history of neuropathy. Therapeutic tactics should be individualized and take into account the polyneuropathy polyetiology. The purpose of this review is to discuss the most common reasons peripheral neuropathy in diabetes mellitus. The differential diagnosis of the diabetic polyneuropathy is the focus of this article.