Chronic pain in type 2 diabetic patients: A cross-sectional study in primary care setting

Background: Although diabetes mellitus (DM) is often associated with painful neuropathic syndromes, a significant number of DM patients suffer from non-neuropathic (nociceptive) pain. Unfortunately, there is insufficient data on the epidemiology of nociceptive pain in DM patients and its effect on their quality of life.

Objective: To characterize pain in type 2 DM patients, and assess its effect on their quality of life.

Methods: The study population included 342 type 2 DM patients, 18 years of age and above (mean age 70.7 ± 9.7), who reported having pain. The study questionnaires included the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), the S-LANSS scale to assess pain with neuropathic features, life impact, and socio-demographic data.

Results: One hundred and fifty-five DM patients (46.5%) reported having pain of predominantly neuropathic origin. Almost 75% of patients with neuropathic pain were females, compared to 57.8% of patients with nociceptive pain (P = 0.002). More patients with neuropathic pain reported constant daily pain (57.6% vs. 42.4%, P < 0.0001), and worse pain during the night (53.3% vs. 46.7%, P = 0.045). The pain affected daily activities, walking capacity, and mood. Patients with neuropathic pain reported a greater negative effect of pain on their quality of life than those with nociceptive pain (41.0% vs. 15.3%, P < 0.0001).

Conclusion: The impact of neuropathic pain in DM patients is much more significant than nociceptive pain and affects their quality of life and daily function to a greater degree.