Autonomic and peripheral neuropathy in insulin dependent diabetics

Twenty five diabetics (all insulin dependent) and 20 age and sex matched controls were studied to assess peripheral nerve functions and autonomic (cardiovascular and urinary bladder) nerve functions. Impotence was the commonest symptom followed by postural dizziness, atonic bladder, shooting pains in the limbs and gustatory sweating. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy was found in 60% of the diabetics while 68% of them had diabetic cystopathy. Peripheral nerve dysfunction was present in 80% of the patients. Forty percent of the diabetics had all the three forms of neuropathies (cardiac, urinary bladder and peripheral), while another 40% of the patients had at least two forms of neuropathy.