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Clinical Presentation and Management of Diabetic Neuropathy and Foot Ulceration
Author(s) -
Boulton A. J. M.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-5491.1991.tb02157.x
Subject(s) - medicine , polyneuropathy , physical examination , diabetes mellitus , complication , foot (prosody) , presentation (obstetrics) , sensory loss , peripheral neuropathy , diabetic foot , diabetic neuropathy , surgery , intensive care medicine , dermatology , physical therapy , linguistics , philosophy , endocrinology
A simple classification of the more common neuropathies is presented. The most frequent disorder in diabetes is a symmetrical sensory polyneuropathy in the lower limbs. Acute sensory polyneuropathies frequently follow sudden metabolic disturbance although there may be little evidence of neurological abnormalities on clinical examination. Similar symptoms occur with chronic sensory polyneuropathy but onset is gradual and this condition may persist for years with only minor symptoms. A significant proportion of patients with chronic polyneuropathies have few if any symptoms and are only diagnosed by careful clinical examination. An approach to the diagnosis and management of symptomatic sensory polyneuropathy is suggested. Sensory loss, and the possible complication of vascular dysfunction, greatly increases the risk of insensitive foot lesions in diabetic patients. Some may progress to the insensitive foot without prior evidence of neuropathy. Regular and thorough examination is therefore the only way to identify patients at risk who then require education in preventative foot care. The identification of such patients and the clinical presentation and management of foot ulcers is discussed.