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Clinical Diagnosis of Diabetic Neuropathy

  • Chapter
Diabetic Neuropathy

Part of the book series: Clinical Diabetes ((CLD))

Abstract

Diabetic neuropathies are among most common long-term complications of diabetes. Clinical assessment of diabetic neuropathies typically involves evaluation of subjective symptoms and neurological deficits since an alteration in the former does not necessarily reflect an improvement in nerve function. A number of clinical symptom and/or deficit scales have been developed for either mass screening or focused research purposes. The assessment may additionally be quantified using more or less sophisticated tools. The Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and graduated tuning fork can detect patients with advanced neuropathy, while quantitative sensory testing and nerve conduction studies are much more sensitive to subtle changes in nerve function. Sophisticated techniques like axon reflex, magnetic resonance imaging and corneal confocal microscopy are rarely used outside research environment. Recent years have brought a significant progress in symptomatic treatment of painful diabetic neuropathies. However, an effective treatment of the underlying pathology is still lacking.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN

    Vladimir Skljarevski

  2. Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Rayaz A. Malik

Authors
  1. Vladimir Skljarevski
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  2. Rayaz A. Malik
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

    Aristidis Veves MD, DSc

  2. Manchester Royal Infirmary and University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Rayaz A. Malik MBChB, PhD

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© 2007 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Skljarevski, V., Malik, R.A. (2007). Clinical Diagnosis of Diabetic Neuropathy. In: Veves, A., Malik, R.A. (eds) Diabetic Neuropathy. Clinical Diabetes. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-311-0_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-311-0_16

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-626-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-311-0

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