High prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed polyneuropathy in subjects with and without diabetes participating in a nationwide educational initiative (PROTECT study).

Aims: Since neuropathy screening may be underutilized in primary care practice, we conducted a nationwide educational initiative to determine the prevalence of diagnosed and previously undiagnosed polyneuropathy.

Methods: Among 1017 individuals participating in the initiative, 983 with complete data were analyzed, 359 of whom had no diabetes by history (ND), 80 had type 1 diabetes, and 544 had type 2 diabetes. Polyneuropathy was assessed by history and foot examination including pressure, temperature, and vibration perception and was classified as possible, probable, and severe. Foot pulses and HbA1c were determined in subsets of participants.

Results: Polyneuropathy was detected in 53.8% of ND, 43.8% of type 1, and 55.6% of type 2 diabetes subjects and was associated with higher age. In a subset of participants with polyneuropathy, the latter was declared as previously undiagnosed by 79.1% of ND, 35.7% of type 1, and 61.5% of type 2 diabetes participants. After adjustment for age and sex, prevalent polyneuropathy was associated with peripheral arterial disease.

Conclusions: More than half of subjects with and without diabetes participating in an educational initiative had polyneuropathy which was reported as previously undiagnosed by two thirds. Effective strategies to avoid underdiagnosis of neuropathy and to improve preventive foot care should be implemented.