Panic attack symptoms in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Abstract

Assessment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) usually focuses on nerve damage resulting from hyperglycaemia. However, screening for common psychiatric disorders may improve the recognition of psychopathology in patients with DPN. This epidemiological cohort study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of panic attack symptoms in patients with DPN compared toa control group of healthy individuals without type 2 diabetes mellitusorDPN.Additionally, this study sought to compare the severity of these symptoms between the two groups.The study was conducted via a survey over three years in an accredited practice of physicians at the Medical University-Sofia. A total of267 participants were included, comprising 83 patients with DPN and 184healthy controls. Both groups completed the Prime-MD Patient Health Questionnaire. The results indicated significant differences between the two study groups(t[127.513] = 3.293; p < 0.01), and patients with DPN had a higher prevalence of panic attack symptoms than those in the control group.Furthermore, significant differences were observed in the severity of panic attack symptoms within the DPN group (t[(81] = 2.017, p < 0.05).Patients who had experienced DPN for more than one year reported more severe symptoms than those who had experienced it for less than oneyear. Our results indicate that the high prevalence of panic attack symptoms inpatients with DPN highlights the need for integrated screening for psychiatric disorders within the overall management plan for diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: Amygdala; Anxiety; Diabetic peripheral neuropathy; Emotion; Limbic brainstem nuclei; Panic attack symptoms.

Fig. 1

Distribution of panic attack symptoms.

Fig. 2

Distribution by severity of panic attack symptoms.