Prevalence and Determinants of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy/Foot Syndrome in the Rural Population of North India

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), a common and troublesome complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), leads to a higher risk of diabetic foot ulcers and lower limb amputation. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of DPN among patients of type 2 DM from rural North India and associated risk factors for the condition. Materials and Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was carried out among type 2 diabetic patients attending the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) clinic of a secondary care hospital in rural North India. A questionnaire that included sociodemographic details, clinical and laboratory parameters, and the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) for detecting peripheral neuropathy was administered to 100 consecutive eligible patients. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 was used for entering and analyzing data. Bivariate analysis was performed to determine the factors significantly associated with the presence of DPN. Results: The prevalence of DPN was found to be 42.0%. Male gender, advancing age (≥60 years), longer duration of diabetes (>10 years), smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, uncontrolled blood pressure, poor glycemic control and altered lipid profile were found to be significantly associated with the presence of DPN. Conclusions: The prevalence of DPN among type 2 diabetes patients from rural northern India is alarmingly high. There is a need for essential screening of all diabetic patients by their primary care provider for early detection of DPN, particularly in rural India.