Obesity as a risk factor for neuropathy: a case-control study.
Esra Ersan Tomo1, Hacer Hicran Mutlu2, Hasan Hüseyin Mutlu3
1Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Hormones (Athens, Greece)
|November 22, 2024
Summary
Metabolically healthy obese individuals have a significantly higher prevalence and severity of neuropathy compared to their non-obese counterparts. This finding highlights increased neuropathy risk in obesity, even without metabolic dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology and Metabolism
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Neuropathy is a common diabetes complication linked to metabolic disturbances.
- Prevalence of neuropathy in metabolically healthy individuals with or without obesity is not well-defined.
- Obesity is a growing global health concern with potential links to neurological complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the prevalence and severity of neuropathy between metabolically healthy obese and non-obese individuals.
- To investigate the association between obesity and neuropathy in a metabolically healthy cohort.
Main Methods:
- Study included healthy adults aged 20-50, categorized by BMI (≥30 kg/m² obese, <30 kg/m² non-obese).
- Exclusion criteria targeted conditions mimicking or causing neuropathy (e.g., diabetes, vitamin B12 deficiency).
- Neuropathy assessment utilized the Neuropathy Symptom Score (NSS) and modified Neuropathy Disability Score (mNDS).
Main Results:
- Metabolically healthy obese individuals exhibited significantly higher NSS and mNDS scores compared to non-obese individuals (p < 0.001).
- Obesity was associated with a 110-fold increased likelihood of neuropathy, with greater severity observed.
- Higher triglyceride levels were noted in participants with neuropathy, irrespective of obesity status.
Conclusions:
- Metabolically healthy obesity is linked to a higher prevalence and severity of neuropathy.
- Obesity may independently contribute to neuropathy development, even in the absence of overt metabolic disease.
- Further research into the mechanisms underlying neuropathy in metabolically healthy obese individuals is warranted.
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