Abstract

Introduction: An increase in neuropathy frequency has been observed in individuals with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (t2DM) and prediabetes, secondary to the associated hyperglycemia. However, the frequency of this pathology in individuals with a family history for t2DM is unknown.

Objective: To make a comparison, the frequency of peripheral neuropathy in no diabetic individuals with and without family history for t2DM, and patients with t2DM, evaluated by plantar thermography (PT). Material and Methods: A pilot, cross-sectional study. One hundred participants were divided into three study groups (control subjects without t2DM and no family history of diabetes, not diabetic subjects with a family history for diabetes and patients diagnosed with diabetes), ANOVA, and multiple logistic regression were made to analyze the outcomes.

Result: Sixty-four subjects with altered PT were found, of which 26 belonged to the group of diabetics, 23 to the non-diabetics with family history for t2DM, and 15 to the group, not 2tDM without a family history (p = 0.003). In diabetic patients, neuropathy was 76.4%, non-diabetics subjects with family history 67.6%, and controls of 46.8%, with OR of 3.6, 2.3, and 1.0 respectively, and a p of 0.001 in a multivariate analysis.

Conclusion: The presence of neuropathy in diabetic patients is independent of age, sex, and hypertension. A tendency to present neuropathy diagnosed by thermography was observed by having at least one family member in the first degree with t2DM, with an association between the number of first-degree relatives and the problem’s occurrence. Prevention measures must apply as prevention of neuropathy and t2DM when family history is present

Keywords: Alzheimer’s; Parkinson’s; Cerebrospinal Fluid; Laboratory Diagnosis