[Chronic pain in the diabetic patient: a quali-quantitative observational study]

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of pain in subjects affected by Diabetes Mellitus (DM), to assess approach and therapeutically valid outcomes as well as the knowledge of the Law n. 38/15/03/2010 of the Italian Government ("Dispositions to guarantee the access to the Palliative Cares and Pain Therapy").

We have enrolled 462 patients affected by DM [242 (52.4%) males, 209 (42.5%) females; while in 11 (5.1%) cases the gender has not been specified], with characteristics as follows: 62 patients (13.4%) affected by T1DM (37 males and 25 females) e 400 patients (86.6%) affected by T2DM (224 males e 176 females). The average age was of 65.2 years old (range 20-91). All the patients have been presented with an original questionnaires based on 10 questions.

221 subjects (48%) have claimed to have experienced pain; 60% within the females, 38% within the males (p<0.001). 31% of these are to be included among the patients with T1DM, 50.5% among those with T2DM (p<0.01). The presence of chronic pain has been acknowledged by 162 subjects (35%). As per chronic pain, this has been described as articular pain by 128 patients (80%), while 63 (38%) located the pain through the spine and 29 (18%) throughout the muscles. Chronic pain was described as moderate by 73 subjects (45%), intense by 59 (36%), feeble by 15 (9%), utterly intense by 5 (3%), moderate/intense by 1 (1%). The drugs for treating the chronic pain used by the patients have been enlisted as follows: FANS (41%), paracetamol (30%), glucocorticoids (3%), weak opioids (2%); 27% of subjects have received no therapy. As for the Law 38/2010, only 8% have said they have had news of it.

The data gathered in this study have drawn attention on the fact that the presence of pain is higher in female gender, with a prevalence of 60% compared to the 38% of the male gender. It has been observed no relation with the age range, in particular no proportional increase level of pain has been observed, although the higher peak of prevalence has been experienced in the age range between 70-79, both for pain in general and for chronic pain. Speaking about efficacy of the treatment, almost 50% of the subjects have received no improvement from the therapy.