The Relation of Arteriosclerosis to Diabetic Neuritis of the Lower Extremities

Abstract

A study of 150 patients with diabetes mellitus or with circulatory disturbances was made. There were 65 diabetic cases, 80 cases of generalized arteriosclerosis and 5 cases with deficient blood supply to the extremities not due to arteriosclerosis or diabetes. Evidence of peripheral neuritis was found in 18% of the cases of diabetes, in 8% of the patients with generalized arteriosclerosis, without diabetes, and in all the cases with grossly deficient blood supply to the extremities. Symptoms and signs of peripheral neuritis may be found in patients with a deficient blood supply to the extremities, regardless of the cause of this deficiency. Symptoms and signs of peripheral neuritis may be found in patients with generalized arteriosclerosis, similar in all respects to those of ischemic neuritis and diabetic neuritis. Arteriosclerosis and the resultant ischemia is probably a major cause in the production of diabetic neuritis.