Therapeutic strategies for diabetic neuropathy

Diabetes is the leading cause of peripheral neuropathy globally. Duration of diabetes, glycemic control, and preexisting cardiovascular risk factors independently correlate with the development and progression of diabetic peripheral neuropathy as well as cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy. The pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy remains unclear, although insulin resistance, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, abnormal glucose metabolism, advanced glycation end products, neurotrophic factors, and protein kinase C activation all may play a role. Strict glycemic control remains the only available treatment option, although other treatments are in development. Multiple options are available for symptom management. In this article, we review factors associated with development and progression of diabetic neuropathy and discuss available treatment options.