1. Progressive loss of corneal nerve fibers is associated with physical inactivity and glucose lowering medication associated with weight gain in type 2 diabetes.
- Author
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Ponirakis G, Al-Janahi I, Elgassim E, Gad H, Petropoulos IN, Khan A, Ali H, Siddique MA, Gul W, Ferdousi M, Kalteniece A, Mohamed FF, Ahmed LH, Dakroury Y, El Shewehy AM, Al-Mohamedi A, AlMarri F, Homssi M, Qazi M, Hadid NH, Al-Khayat F, Mahfoud ZR, Azmi S, Alam U, Zirie MA, Al-Ansari Y, Jayyousi A, Rigby AS, Kilpatrick ES, Atkin SL, and Malik RA
- Subjects
- Humans, Cornea innervation, Glucose, Glycated Hemoglobin, Nerve Fibers, Sedentary Behavior, Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 complications, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 drug therapy, Diabetic Neuropathies complications, Diabetic Neuropathies etiology
- Abstract
Aims/introduction: Limited studies have identified risk factors linked to the progression of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in type 2 diabetes. This study examined the association of risk factors with change in neuropathy measures over 2 years., Materials and Methods: Participants with type 2 diabetes (n = 78) and controls (n = 26) underwent assessment of clinical and metabolic parameters and neuropathy using corneal confocal microscopy (CCM), vibration perception threshold (VPT), and the DN4 questionnaire at baseline and 2 year follow-up., Results: Participants with type 2 diabetes had a lower corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD), branch density (CNBD), and fiber length (CNFL) (P ≤ 0.0001) and a higher VPT (P ≤ 0.01) compared with controls. Over 2 years, despite a modest reduction in HbA1c (P ≤ 0.001), body weight (P ≤ 0.05), and LDL (P ≤ 0.05) the prevalence of DPN (P = 0.28) and painful DPN (P = 0.21) did not change, but there was a significant further reduction in CNBD (P ≤ 0.0001) and CNFL (P ≤ 0.05). CNFD, CNBD, and CNFL decreased significantly in physically inactive subjects (P < 0.05-0.0001), whilst there was no change in CNFD (P = 0.07) or CNFL (P = 0.85) in physically active subjects. Furthermore, there was no change in CNFD (P = 0.82), CNBD (P = 0.08), or CNFL (P = 0.66) in patients treated with glucose lowering medication associated with weight loss, whilst CNBD (P = 0.001) decreased in patients on glucose lowering medication associated with weight gain., Conclusions: In participants with type 2 diabetes, despite a modest improvement in HbA1c, body weight, and LDL there was a progressive loss of corneal nerve fibers; except in those who were physically active or on glucose lowering medication associated with weight loss., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)
- Published
- 2022
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