Prevalence of use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines in Patients with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Abstract

Introduction: Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) is the most common complication of newlineDiabetes Mellitus of long-standing type. It can lead to several complications e.g. foot newlinedeformities, infections, ulcers, and amputations, due to peripheral nerve injury newlineresulting in sensory loss, pain, weakness, instability, and fall risk. India has earned newlinedubious distinction of being the Diabetes Capital of the world but there is a paucity of newlinedata regarding prevalence and risk factors associated with Diabetic Peripheral newlineNeuropathy (DPN). Treatment of DPN is far from satisfactory. Additionally, it is newlineknown that patients with chronic illnesses resort to the use of drugs of newlineComplementary and Alternative systems of Medicine (CAM). Since the prevalence newlineand predictors of the use of CAM and associated risk factors is not clearly known in newlineIndia, hence, a cross-sectional survey of Diabetic neuropathy patients using CAM was newlinedone. newlineObjective: To determine the Prevalence, Severity, stratification of the risk factors in newlinepatients with DPN and CAM usage attending tertiary care Hospital. newlineMethods: A pre-formed structured questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was newlineconducted with a total of 998 screened patients, 399 were enrolled patients during newlineface to face interview, fulfilling the inclusion criteria, with a diagnosis of DPN. Data newlineon the socio-demographics, age, educational status, socio-economic status, treatments newlinereceived, duration of disease, glycemic control (indicated by HBA1C levels), and pain newline newlinescores, numbness, history of Smoking/Alcohol usage and physiotherapy and other co- newlinemorbidities associated were collected. newline