Childhood diabetic neuropathy: a clinical and electrophysiological study

Clinical diabetic neuropathy in childhood is rare, but electrophysiological involvement of the peripheral nerve is more frequent. We assessed clinically and electrophysiologically the peripheral nervous system of 69 children and adolescents suffering from diabetes mellitus (DM). The mean age of the patients was 12.8 years and the mean age at onset of DM was 6.8 years with a mean disease duration of 6.3 years. Seven patients (10%) had clinical neuropathy of which ankle jerk reflex abolition was the most frequent sign. Twenty patients (29%) had a neurophysiological neuropathy prevalently affecting the lower limbs. Peripheral neuropathy was correlated with patient age, older age at onset, duration of DM, height and poor glycaemic control.