Abstract:
Background: Diabetic sensory neuropathy is a common form of microvascular complication among diabetic patients.
The swiftly growing population of people living with diabetes in Ethiopia and lack of elaborated scientific data on
peripheral sensory neuropathy among diabetic population in Ethiopia prompted this work. This study was set out to
assess the enormity and associated factors of peripheral sensory neuropathy among diabetes patients attending chronic
illness clinic of Felege Hiwot Regional Referral Hospital, Bahr Dar, Northwest Ethiopia.
Methods: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital chronic illness clinic
using Michigan neuropathy screening instrument tool for diabetic peripheral sensory neuropathy on 408 diabetic patients
during 2016. Data were collected using interview, patient record review, anthropometric measurements and physical
examination. Both bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with
peripheral sensory neuropathy. Odds ratios with their 95% CI and P value less than 0.05 used to determine statistically
significant associations.
Results: A total of 368 patients were included with the mean age of 49 ± 14.3 years. The overall prevalence of Peripheral
Sensory Neuropathy was found to be 52.2%. The major associated factors identified by multivariate analysis were age
>50 years: AOR: 3.0 CI [1.11, 7.89]; overweight and obese: AOR: 7.3 CI [3.57, 14.99]; duration of DM: AOR: 3.4 CI [1.75, 6.60];
not involved in physical exercise: AOR: 4.8 CI [1.90, 7.89]; male gender: AOR: 2.4 CI [1.18, 5.05].
Conclusion: Almost half of the diabetic patients who attended Felege Hiwot regional referral hospital during study
period were found to present with peripheral sensory neuropathy. Socio-demographic and bio characteristics like
patients age, Body Mass Index, level of physical activity and marital status were significantly associated with diabetic
peripheral sensory neuropathy.
