Osteopenia, neurological dysfunction, and the development of Charcot neuroarthropathy

Diabetes Care. 1995 Jan;18(1):34-8. doi: 10.2337/diacare.18.1.34.

Abstract

Objective: To determine factors that might be associated with the development of Charcot neuroarthropathy.

Research design and methods: This cross-sectional prevalence study examined neurological function and bone density in matched groups of neuropathic diabetic patients with and without radiological evidence of Charcot neuroarthropathy.

Results: Patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy had a global impairment of neurological function that was significantly greater than that of otherwise matched non-Charcot neuropathic patients. All 17 Charcot patients had evidence of autonomic neuropathy compared with 10 of the control subjects (P = 0.03). The Charcot patients had evidence of reduced bone density in the lower limbs compared with the neuropathic control subjects (P = 0.009), but relatively preserved bone density in the spine (P = 0.4 vs. control subjects).

Conclusions: We conclude that minor trauma in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy might result in a fracture in those with a reduced bone density and thus trigger the development of Charcot neuroarthropathy.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Bone Density
  • Bone Diseases, Metabolic / complications*
  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / epidemiology
  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / etiology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications
  • Diabetic Neuropathies / complications*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence