Objective: To assess the prevalence of distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) in an older population and to examine its relationship with prediabetes.
Research design and methods: Glucose tolerance status was determined in 61- to 82-year-old participants (n = 1,100) of the population-based Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) F4 Survey (2006-2008). Clinical DSPN was defined as bilaterally impaired foot-vibration perception and/or foot-pressure sensation.
Results: Prevalence of clinical DSPN was similar in subjects with known diabetes (22.0%) and subjects with combined impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (23.9%). Among prediabetic subgroups, IFG-IGT, but not isolated-IFG and -IGT, was associated with a higher risk of clinical DSPN, compared with normal glucose tolerance. A J-shaped association was observed between clinical DSPN and quartiles of 2-h postchallenge glucose, but not with fasting glucose and HbA(1c) levels.
Conclusions: Subjects with IFG-IGT and known diabetes had a similar prevalence of clinical DSPN. Elevated 2-h postload glucose levels appeared important for disease risk.