Clinically diagnosed diabetic neuropathy: frequency, types and severity.

OBJECTIVE: Studies of frequency of occurrence of diabetic neuropathy are few, and available studies were limited to the southern part of Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to determine the frequency of occurrence and grades of diabetes peripheral neuropathy using clinical measures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients with diabetes mellitus attending the Jos University Teaching Hospital were recruited as the study population, including 120 diabetics and 60 age-matched, nondiabetic controls. A standard proforma based on the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) was employed to screen for diabetic neuropathy. RESULTS: The frequency of occurrence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy was 75%. For the specific types of peripheral neuropathy, sensorimotor neuropathy was the commonest (40.4%, chi(2)=29.1; p<0.001). There was no significant difference, with severity of peripheral neuropathy among diabetics, when compared by gender. (Chi square=3.03, P value=0.081). CONCLUSION: The frequency of occurrence of peripheral neuropathy among diabetics in Jos University Teaching Hospital from this study is rather high.