[Diabetes and assessment of working capability--neuropathy and autonomic neuropathy]

Up to now no obligatory guidelines for the assessment of working capability exist for patients with diabetes and peripheral and/or autonomic neuropathy. Precise investigations of clinical symptoms of an existing polyneuropathy are preconditions for this assessment. For the evaluation of the working capability a detailed analysis of working conditions and working place is necessary. Special attention is needed with respect to the prophylaxis of the diabetic foot. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy as well as the autonomic neuropathy of the gastro-intestinal tract are of importance for the assessment of working capability. In practice inadequate diagnostic procedures occur up to now and assessment of working capability is mostly not included into these diagnostic procedures. The processing of corresponding recommendations should be a common task of diabetologists and job physicians.