IMPACT OF DIABETIC NEUROPATHY ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND POSTURAL BALANCE IN BRAZILIAN OLDER ADULTS.

Objective: To analyze the impact of the Peripheral Diabetic Neuropathy (PDN) on the postural and functional balance and quality of life of Brazilian older adults.

Methods: A cross-sectional study. Sixty older men and women (60-79 years) were divided into three groups: control, DM without and with PDN. The following parameters were evaluated: anthropometry; quality of life; postural balance (BESTest); functional balance in force plate (NeuroCom Balance).

Results: PDN group presented significant differences compared with the other groups, with the worst performance in quality of life than DM2 without PDN in: sensory functioning ( = 0.030); past and future ( = 0.036); death and dying ( = 0.035). Postural balance deficit in the total score ( = 0.025) and biomedical constraints section ( = 0.043) of the BESTest, compared with DM2 without PDN ( = 0.007). In the functional balance (Neurocom), PDN group presented a worse performance in the time spent on the left side ( = 0.030) than the control group. During step up over test, the control group performed the task faster than the group with PDN ( = 0.004).

Conclusion: This study showed that neuropaths presented worse physical performance and postural balance deficits, sensorial limitations, affecting the daily tasks and, as a consequence, decreasing the quality of life in Brazilian older adults.