Understanding the Impact of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and Neuropathic Pain on Quality of Life and Mental Health in 6,960 People With Diabetes
Authors' conclusion
An increased focus on differences in QoL, mental health, and pain phenotypes is of importance to move the field forward toward more interdisciplinary, personalized treatment.
Study context
- Population
- People with diabetes
- Participants
- 1,601 / 5,359 / 1,085 / 516
- Exposure
- Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) vs no DPN; painful vs painless DPN
- DPNn = 1,601
- No DPNn = 5,359reference
- Painful DPNn = 1,085
- Painless DPNn = 516
- Outcome
- Associations of painful and painless DPN with QoL, mental health and socioeconomic factors
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
QoL (SF-36)
DPN
55.1
IQR 36.7–73.6
No DPN
82.2
IQR 63.6–90.9
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | DPN | No DPN |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety (HADS-A) | 5.00 (IQR 2–9) | 2.00 (IQR 1–5) |
| Depression (HADS-D) | 4.00 (IQR 1–8) | 1.00 (IQR 0–3) |
Anxiety (HADS-A)
- Poorer mental health with DPN vs without DPN; addition of pain diminished mental health further
Depression (HADS-D)
- Poorer mental health with DPN vs without DPN; addition of pain diminished mental health further
Pain and sensory descriptors in painful DPN
- Burning pain (most prevalent pain descriptor)
- 73%
- Pins-and-needles (most prevalent sensory descriptor)
- 93%
- Itch
- 44%
- Weak associations with mental health and quality of life (QoL) for cold pain, electric pain and itch
Original publication
Understanding the Impact of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and Neuropathic Pain on Quality of Life and Mental Health in 6,960 People With Diabetes. Diabetes Care. Published 11 February 2025. doi:10.
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