Postchallenge Hyperglycemia Is Positively Associated With Diabetic Polyneuropathy

Abstract

OBJECTIVETo assess the prevalence of distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) in an older population and to examine its relationship with prediabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSGlucose tolerance status was determined in 61- to 82-year-old participants (n = 1,100) of the population-based Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) F4 Survey (2006–2008). Clinical DSPN was defined as bilaterally impaired foot-vibration perception and/or foot-pressure sensation.RESULTSPrevalence of clinical DSPN was similar in subjects with known diabetes (22.0%) and subjects with combined impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (23.9%). Among prediabetic subgroups, IFG-IGT, but not isolated-IFG and -IGT, was associated with a higher risk of clinical DSPN, compared with normal glucose tolerance. A J-shaped association was observed between clinical DSPN and quartiles of 2-h postchallenge glucose, but not with fasting glucose and HbA1c levels.CONCLUSIONSSubjects with IFG-IGT and known diabetes had a similar prevalence of clinical DSPN. Elevated 2-h postload glucose levels appeared important for disease risk.