Peripheral Insensate Neuropathy- Is Height a Risk Factor?

Abstract

Peripheral insensate neuropathy is one of the most commonest and the earliest forms of peripheral neuropathy. It is one of the leading causes of the disability in working population who are at risk. A study was conducted in Kasturba medical college (Manipal university) in the year 2009-12, which included examination of 818 people of more than 30yrs of age by random sampling method who were attending the outpatient clinic. A monofilament was used to determine the peripheral insensate neuropathy, which was defined by the presence of one or more insensate areas. In our study , the prevalence of peripheral insensate neuropathy was 16.2 % ( p-0.0001), among which 9.7% were males and 7.5% were females. The males were 1.27 times significantly at a higher risk than the females , even after a height adjustment to the gender difference in height. As the height increased, the prevalence of peripheral insensate neuropathy increased, irrespective of the diabetic and hypertensive statuses. The risk of the peripheral insensate neuropathy increases at a height of >167 cm in males and at a height of >159 cm in females. The authors conclude that body height is an important and an independent risk factor for peripheral insensate neuropathy, irrespective of co morbidities. Height as a marker, helps the health care professionals in identifying the people who are at risk for peripheral insensate neuropathy.