Are we ignoring diabetic disability: a cross sectional study of diabetic myopathy

The complications associated with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) may cause functional impairment in older people. Recently it has been proved that motor dysfunction in the form of skeletal muscle dysfunction does occur in type II DM. However very few studies have assessed the upper limb skeletal muscle dysfunction.

The study was aimed to assess the hand grip strength, endurance in type 2 DM patients and compare the same with age matched healthy controls. We also correlated glycosylated Hb and duration of illness with the hand grip strength and endurance in the patients.

Hand grip dynamometer was used to measure the hand grip strength and endurance in sixty diagnosed patients of type II DM. Similar tests were performed in age matched healthy controls. Blood samples were collected for blood glucose fasting, postprandial levels and Hb1AC in both the groups. Comparisons between patients and controls, and correlations were done by applying suitable tests.

The hand grip muscle strength and endurance in type II DM patients were significantly lower as compared to the normal controls (P < 0.05, P < 0.001). There was no correlation between the hand grip muscle strength and endurance with HbA1c and the duration of the disease in the patients of type II DM (P > 0.05).

The present study shows that type II DM patients suffer from skeletal muscle dysfunction in the form of reduced hand grip strength and endurance. Hence the treating Physician should not be ignorant about these disabilities. In addition to the strict measures to control the blood glucose levels, interventions to improve the muscle mass and strength in these patients should be undertaken.