Diabetic Neuropathy: Better Understanding of Condition Needed as Cases Continue to Grow

Monday 16 December 2013, Amsterdam

The total prevalent cases of diabetic neuropathy in the seven major markets (7MM) — the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK and Japan — is expected to increase steadily from 13.84 million in 2012 to 19.78 million by 2022.

The company’s latest report* states that out of the 7MM, the US will have the highest number of prevalent diabetic neuropathy cases during the forecast period, with a share of approximately 45%. Currently, the condition affects an estimated 50% of patients with diabetes worldwide and is one of the leading causes of morbidity, often causing foot ulcerations or the need for amputation.

Alyssa B. Klein, the Senior Epidemiologist, says: “Some of the risk factors of diabetic neuropathy include poor glycemic control, age, duration of diabetes and obesity. However, diabetic neuropathy is considered to be part of the natural progression of diabetes as a microvascular complication of the disease.”

Analysts have identified an urgent need for a better understanding of diabetic neuropathy due to the rapidly increasing diabetic population in the 7MM. Therefore, a more effective strategy to reduce the number of microvascular diabetic complications, as well as other sequelae, may lie in identifying the undiagnosed diabetic population. Klein continues: “An estimated 50% of diabetics are unaware that they even have the disease. When they are finally diagnosed, they are already affected by many of the microvascular complications.

“Screening programs focusing on identifying diabetics at a stage when the condition is more manageable could be the most effective strategy for preventing these complications, which are the result of long-term, unregulated blood glucose levels,” the epidemiologist concludes.