Abstract
Diabetic neuropathy is a significant and common late-onset microvascular complication of type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus. It is a heterogeneous syndrome affecting peripheral, cranial and autonomous nerves.
The prevalence is estimated to be at 13-54%, based on the diagnostic criteria and the duration of the patient's case of diabetes. On average it develops in roughly 50% of diabetics of both types.
Its prevalence is slowly growing due to the growing numbers of type 2 diabetics. There is no known causal treatment for diabetic neuropathy, prevention is crucial.
For both types of diabetes it is important to compensate hyperglycaemia, in type 2 diabetics it is also important to influence other risk factors as well (hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, smoking). Diabetic neuropathy is a risk factor for development of the diabetic foot syndrome.
The role of a neurologist is firstly in proper differential diagnostics of peripheral neuropathy (to rule out other possible causes for neuropathy apart from hyperglycaemia) and second in treatment of neuropathic pain.