Magnitude of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), due to its potential for causing morbidity and disability from foot ulcers and amputations, is increasingly becoming a source of concern in Saudi Arabia and worldwide. However, wide variability exists in the prevalence of DPN reported in previous studies in Saudi Arabia, limiting the utility of existing data in national public health policy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the magnitude of DPN in patients living with DM in Saudi Arabia in order to inform policymakers during the implementation of appropriate preventive and treatment strategies for DPN.

PubMed, Google Scholar, African Journals Online, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Wiley Online Library were searched systematically to acquire relevant articles based on preset criteria. We evaluated heterogeneity and publication bias and employed a random-effects model to estimate the pooled prevalence of DPN from the included studies. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines in conducting the meta-analysis. Analysis was performed using the STATA Version 12 software.

Twelve studies with a total of 4,556 participants living with DM, of whom 2,081 were identified as having DPN were included in the meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of DPN was 39% (95% CI [30%, 49%]). Subgroup analysis based on diagnostic method showed that prevalence estimates for DPN using screening questionnaires and clinical examination were 48% (95% CI [46%, 50%]) and 40% (95% CI: [38%, 42%]), respectively, while the estimated prevalence using nerve conduction studies was 26% (95% CI [15%, 36%]).

This study showed a high magnitude of DPN in Saudi Arabia (39%), thus highlighting the need for sustained efforts to reduce the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and DPN in the kingdom.