[Association between neuropathy and peripheral vascular insufficiency in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) can present complications of neuropathy and peripheral arterial disease with high risk for developing foot ulcers and consequent amputations.

To identify the association between peripheral vascular disease, and neuropathy in type 2 Diabetes mellitus patients from the Hospital General de Zona No. 1 IMSS in Colima, Mexico.

Cross-sectional study of 80 patients with diabetes mellitus evaluated by means of the Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire, Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument, ankle-arm index, Motor Nerve Conduction Velocity and H-reflex.

51 women and 29 men were studied. Mean age was 53.9 +/- 9.6 years, mean diabetes mellitus progression was 8 +/- 6.6 years and mean glucose level was 283 +/- 110 mg/mL. Neuropathy presented in 65 patients (81.2%). Ankle/arm index revealed 19% of patients presented with moderate peripheral vascular insufficiency. Motor Nerve Conduction Velocity was abnormal in 40% of patients and H-reflex was absent in 70%.

Grade 2 motor-sensitive polyneuropathy was found in 70-80% of patients and moderate peripheral vascular insufficiency in 19%. It can thus be inferred that the complication of diabetic neuropathy appears before that of peripheral vessel damage.