Assessment of the severity of diabetic polyneuropathy aids in predicting the risk of developing diabetic complications in patients with untreated diabetes.

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of assessing the severity of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) in patients with untreated diabetes. Seventy-two patients with untreated type 2 diabetes who were hospitalized for glycemic control were enrolled and divided into the following two groups: patients who had no prior diagnosis and patients who were unattended or had discontinued treatment. Electrophysiological criteria consistent with Baba's classification were used to diagnose and assess the severity of DPN. The patients were divided into three subgroups: no DPN (stage 0), mild DPN (stage 1), and moderate or more-severe DPN (stages 2-4). Intergroup comparisons were performed for the clinical characteristics and the results of the nerve conduction studies. Twenty-two (30%), 25 (35%), and 25 (35%) patients were categorized into the no DPN, mild DPN, and moderate or more-severe DPN subgroups, respectively. The number of patients who were unattended or had discontinued treatment in the moderate or more-severe DPN subgroup was significantly higher than that in the no DPN subgroup. The patients in the moderate or more-severe DPN subgroup had an increased risk of developing diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy, with odds ratios of 19.5 and 11.0 for advanced stages of retinopathy and nephropathy, respectively. Thus, the assessment of the severity of DPN could aid in the prediction of the risk of developing diabetic complications in patients with untreated diabetes.

Relationship between diabetic complications and the nutritional index in untreated diabetes.

This study aimed to determine the association between diabetic complications and the nutritional index at the first hospital visit in untreated patients with diabetes. Two hundred and four patients with untreated type 2 diabetes were enrolled in the present study. Nutrition-related risks were assessed using the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI). The patients were divided into the following three subgroups: major/moderate risk, low risk, and no risk. Intergroup comparisons of clinical characteristics were carried out. The risk of complications related to diabetes was associated with the GNRI. The major/moderate-risk group (GNRI < 92) had a high risk for diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic foot, while the low-risk group (GNRI of 92 to ≤ 98) had a high risk for diabetic nephropathy only. The odds ratio of diabetic retinopathy for a major/moderate risk was 17.6. The odds ratio of diabetic nephropathy for a major/moderate risk was 16.7. Nutritional assessment at the first hospital visit using the GNRI could be a simple and useful tool for predicting the risk of diabetic complications in untreated patients with diabetes.