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Metabolic Syndrome and Symptomatic Polyneuropathy
Diabetes Care; ePub 2016 Mar 10; Callaghan, et al
Symptomatic distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DSP) is more common in people with additional metabolic syndrome components, regardless of glycemic status, according to a prospective cohort study involving nearly 2,400 individuals.
Participants, who averaged ~74 years of age, were from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study. Investigators looked at DSP prevalence in groups stratified by glycemic status and number of additional metabolic syndrome components. They defined DSP based on neuropathic symptoms attained via questionnaire, as well as confirmation from at least 1 of 3 tests. Among the results:
• ~2 in every 10 participants had diabetes, ~3 in every 10 had prediabetes, more than half had metabolic syndrome, and ~1 in every 10 had DSP.
• DSP prevalence increased as the number of metabolic syndrome components increased.
• Those with diabetes were 65% more likely to also have DSP.
• Baseline hemoglobin A1C was also significantly associated with DSP.
• Waist circumference and HDL were significantly linked with multiple secondary neuropathy outcomes.
Citation: Callaghan B, Xia R, Banerjee M, et al. Metabolic syndrome components are associated with symptomatic polyneuropathy independent of glycemic status. [Published online ahead of print March 10, 2016]. Diabetes Care. doi:10.2337/dc16-0081.