[Factors affecting the incidence and severity of polyneuropathy in type I diabetes mellitus]

194 type I diabetics were subjected to neurological and electromyographic examinations. In 161 patients, i.e. in 83%, signs of polyneuropathy were detected, the severity of which was evaluated according to a 5-grade scale where grade 1 was the mildest and the 5th grade the most severe one. The authors proved a statistically significant correlation of the incidence and severity of polyneuropathy and the duration of diabetes. It was found that the decisive period of persistence of diabetes was 6-10 years. During this period the incidence of polyneuropathies increased from 30 to 87%. After 20 years duration of diabetes there was not only a 100% incidence of polyneuropathy, but severe affections--grade 3-5--predominated in 78%. In patients with severe grades of polyneuropathy diabetes was manifested at a significantly lower age than in patients without polyneuropathy and with a milder affection. The authors did not detect a significant relationship between the height of the patients and the incidence of polyneuropathy nor significant differences between men and women.