Neuropathies are common complications of diabetes and are proposed to influence peripheral bone, principally via an altered vascular supply.
Nerve damage associated with
diabetes is called as diabetic neuropathy. The diabetic patients are highly susceptible to
the bone and joint problems. The most
common damages occur in the nerves of legs and feet. In this study article, the
researchers have tried to study the relationship between bone density of the
foot and diabetic neuropathy.
Neuropathies are
common complications of diabetes and are proposed to influence peripheral bone,
principally via an altered vascular supply. This study aimed to determine the
relationship between subtypes of neuropathy and vascular reactivity on foot
bone density in people with diabetes.
A case–control
observational design was utilized with two groups: those with diabetic
peripheral large fibre neuropathy (n = 23) and a control group with diabetes
but without neuropathy (n = 23). Bone density in 12 foot bones was determined
with computed tomography scanning. Additionally, post-occlusive reactive
hyperemia, presence of small fibre neuropathy and heart rate variability were
determined. T-tests and hierarchical regression were used to examine the
relationships among the variables.
No difference in
foot bone density was found between those with and those without large fibre
neuropathy. Furthermore, no association between heart rate variability or
reactive hyperemia and bone density was found. Small fibre neuropathy was
associated with increased cuboid trabecular bone density (p = 0.006) with its
presence predictive of 14% of the variance.
This study found
no clear association between presence of diabetic neuropathies and foot bone
density. Furthermore, vascular reactivity appears to have no impact on bone
density.
Journal of diabetes and its complications
Foot bone density in diabetes may be unaffected by the presence of neuropathy
Alex L. Barwick et al.
Comments (0)