Incidence and Impact of Musculoskeletal Complaints in Type 2 Diabetic Australian Aboriginal Populations

Background Aboriginal populations are those indigenous to Australia and are at greater risk of having diabetes. Diabetes is known to cause and contribute to numerous musculoskeletal (MSK) complaints. Data on such populations are scarce, and MSK pathologies and diabetes mellitus can both have a significant impact on mortality and morbidity. Aims The primary aim was to assess the prevalence and severity of diabetes mellitus in Aboriginal populations and the number and type of MSK complaints experienced by such patients. Secondary aims included looking at the pain threshold of such patients and their correlation with the severity of their diabetes. The smoking status of patients was also recorded. Methods This study was conducted as a retrospective cross-sectional study. This was performed using the patient information software system available at the Armajun trust called Communicare. The software contained patient records, including imaging, and confirmed diagnoses. A modified pain scoring system was used to score pain based on the World Health Organization (WHO) pain ladder, using clinician-acquired data. The number and type of MSK complaints were recorded. Individual results were also recorded for patients in each centre. A total of 222 patients were identified in the initial sample, of which 167 met the inclusion criteria (75%).  Results Most patients had poor/ adequate HbA1c control. And pain scores were most commonly low. However, patients with poor control did have higher scores on average across most centres. In MSK complaints, chronic lower back pain, osteoarthritis and gout were the most common. Conclusion Fundamentally, we observed that the severity of diabetes does not have a significant impact on MSK complaint quantity and quality. With regards to the secondary aim, pain does not seem to be correlated with the degree of glycaemic control or the insulin dependence of a diabetic Aboriginal patient.