Diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) is an important diabetic complication, which significantly increases the morbidity and mortality in affected patients. Up to two-thirds of patients have undiagnosed DSPN and often by the time of diagnosis, irreversible nerve injury has already taken place.
Studies into the underlying pathophysiological aspects of DSPN are limited because obtaining nerve tissue is both difficult and risky to the patient, however, it can be characterized by axonal atrophy, demyelination, loss of nerve fibres, and reduction of nerve fibre regenerative capacity.
There are currently no effective disease modifying treatments for DSPN other than lifestyle inventions as glycaemic control has been shown to be ineffective with respect to neuropathic pain. It is therefore of great importance to establish non-invasive, objective methods that allow for the detection and localization of nerve damage at an early stage of DSPN to gain better insight into the pathophysiology and to evaluate potential therapeutic options.
We hope to highlight recent advances in research contributing to diagnostic tools and new therapeutic approaches in DSPN. We seek reliable surrogate markers such as serological, histological, electrophysiological, imaging, or digital biomarkers, as well as new and emerging techniques for diagnosis, monitoring, treatment strategies, and prognosis of neuropathic changes including neuropathic pain. This article collection will therefore provide an update on the therapeutic approaches for DSPN as well as new insights into the multidisciplinary management of all aspects of DSPN.
This Research Topic would welcome original research articles, reviews, and short communications on clinical and basic research contributing to diagnostic tools and new therapeutic approaches in DSPN. Themes of interest would include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Novel techniques for detection and localization of nerve damage in the early stage of DSPN;
- Screening tools for clinical and experimental settings;
- Clinical approaches to differentiate between axonal and demyelinating damage;
- Research on differences between painful and painless DSPN;
- Diagnostic techniques providing better insight into the pathophysiology and evaluate potential therapeutic options;
- Imaging techniques of the peripheral and central nervous system in DSPN;
- Biomarkers and risk factors for the progression of DSPN;
- Pathomechanism of painful and painless DSPN;
- Novel therapeutic approaches in the prevention and treatment of DSPN;
- Medical and surgical weight loss and their effect on DPSN;
- Pharmacological and surgical methods on painful DSPN.
Diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) is an important diabetic complication, which significantly increases the morbidity and mortality in affected patients. Up to two-thirds of patients have undiagnosed DSPN and often by the time of diagnosis, irreversible nerve injury has already taken place.
Studies into the underlying pathophysiological aspects of DSPN are limited because obtaining nerve tissue is both difficult and risky to the patient, however, it can be characterized by axonal atrophy, demyelination, loss of nerve fibres, and reduction of nerve fibre regenerative capacity.
There are currently no effective disease modifying treatments for DSPN other than lifestyle inventions as glycaemic control has been shown to be ineffective with respect to neuropathic pain. It is therefore of great importance to establish non-invasive, objective methods that allow for the detection and localization of nerve damage at an early stage of DSPN to gain better insight into the pathophysiology and to evaluate potential therapeutic options.
We hope to highlight recent advances in research contributing to diagnostic tools and new therapeutic approaches in DSPN. We seek reliable surrogate markers such as serological, histological, electrophysiological, imaging, or digital biomarkers, as well as new and emerging techniques for diagnosis, monitoring, treatment strategies, and prognosis of neuropathic changes including neuropathic pain. This article collection will therefore provide an update on the therapeutic approaches for DSPN as well as new insights into the multidisciplinary management of all aspects of DSPN.
This Research Topic would welcome original research articles, reviews, and short communications on clinical and basic research contributing to diagnostic tools and new therapeutic approaches in DSPN. Themes of interest would include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Novel techniques for detection and localization of nerve damage in the early stage of DSPN;
- Screening tools for clinical and experimental settings;
- Clinical approaches to differentiate between axonal and demyelinating damage;
- Research on differences between painful and painless DSPN;
- Diagnostic techniques providing better insight into the pathophysiology and evaluate potential therapeutic options;
- Imaging techniques of the peripheral and central nervous system in DSPN;
- Biomarkers and risk factors for the progression of DSPN;
- Pathomechanism of painful and painless DSPN;
- Novel therapeutic approaches in the prevention and treatment of DSPN;
- Medical and surgical weight loss and their effect on DPSN;
- Pharmacological and surgical methods on painful DSPN.
