Longitudinal assessment of metabolic and neurological decline in peripheral polyneuropathy over ten years

This research aims to evaluate changes in metabolic status and the development of peripheral polyneuropathy (PN) in Kazakhstan.

This longitudinal observational study followed a cohort of adults with metabolic syndrome, comparing clinical, biochemical, and neurophysiological parameters between baseline (2014) and follow-up (2024). A total of 213 out of the original 570 participants were reexamined, with standardized assessments including anthropometry, blood tests, and electroneuromyography.

Over the observation period, normoglycemic participants decreased from 67% to 54% while prediabetic participants increased from 17% to 37% (p < 0.001). The average BMI of participants increased from 27.8 to 29.3 kg/m², and the prevalence of abdominal obesity rose from 72% to 85% (p < 0.001). At the 10-year follow-up, polyneuropathy was identified in 28% of participants, who totaled 60 individuals. The research found that diabetes created a nine times higher risk of PN development (OR = 9.23, p < 0.001), and BMI and waist circumference measurements also were associated with increased odds of PN at follow-up.

Adverse metabolic profiles were associated with the presence of polyneuropathy at the 10-year follow-up, including among individuals without overt diabetes. These findings highlight the importance of metabolic risk factors management to reduce the burden of PN.