Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: In this study, our aim was to investigate the prevalence of the most frequently occurring hand complications in 1000 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Material and methods: 179 patients (mean age 51.73±9.06 years, 117 women and 62 men) who had type II DM were included as a preliminary in this study. The presence of cheiroarthropathy, dupuytren’s contracture, tinnel sign and tendinitis was assessed. All patients were evaluated also by the Rheumatology Division. Diabetic retinopathy was assessed by direct ophthalmoscopy. Urinary albumin excretion was determined in at least two 24 h urine samples.

Results: The mean diabetic duration was 7.32±5.97 years. Dupuytren’s contracture was present in 6.1%, cheiroarthropathy in 11.2%, tinnel sign in 21.2% and tendinitis in 5%. Retinopathy was present in 17.9%, nephropathy in 17.3%. Mean HbA1c was 8.70±2.06. Mean fasting glucose was 183.22±74.16 mg/dl. The mean urinary albumin excretion was 61.33±19.47 mg/day. Mean creatinine clearence was 89.91±32.20 ml/min. The relationship between these complications and patients’ age, sex, duration of diabetes and glycaemic control was also analysed. There was positive correlation between age and cheiroarthropathy and dupuytren’s contracture (P=0.006, r=203 and P=0.000, r=296 respectively). There was positive correlation between diabetic duration and diabetic retinopathy (P=0.000, r=298). There was positive correlation between diabetic duration and cheiroarthropathy (P=0.016, r=180). There was positive correlation between diabetic nephropathy and cheiroarthropathy, tinnel sign and tendinitis (P=0.004, r=213; P=0.009, r=196; P=0.067, r=165 respectively).

Conclusions: Some musculoskeletal disorders are more prevalent in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and this may be associated with duration of diabetes. Also the hand abnormalities were associated with the diabetic complications. Long-term prospective randomised controlled trials on preventing musculoskeletal complications and disability in diabetics are needed.