The Relationship Between Neuropathic Pain and Quality of Life in Geriatric Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Aim: This descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between neuropathic pain and quality of life in geriatric patients with type 2 diabetes. Material and Methods: The data of the study were collected using “Questionnaire Form, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions (DN4) questionnaire, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument Older Adults Module (WHOQOL-OLD). In the DN4 questionnaire, the limit value for neuropathic pain was determined to be 4/10 and above. The scores obtained from the WHOQOL-OLD scale ranged between 24 and 120”. Results: This study, which included patients aged 65-79, found that the majority of the patients were male, 65-69 years old, and illiterate. The majority of the geriatric patients had type 2 diabetes for more than 10 years, were using oral antidiabetic medications along with insulin for their diabetes treatment, and had chronic cardiovascular disease in addition to their diabetes. The patients' mean overall pain score according to the VAS was 6.27±1.48, the mean neuropathic pain score according to the DN4 was 8.15±1.14, and the mean overall quality of life score according to the WHOQOL-OLD was 68.67±6.61. Conclusion: The study results revealed a significant correlation between the VAS pain score and the DN4 score (r=0.502, p=0.001), and between the WHOQOL-OLD overall score and the DN4 score (r=-0.420, p=0.007). Furthermore, the duration of diabetes diagnosis (p = 0.038), the type of diabetes treatment (p=0.018), and hospitalization for diabetes control (p=0.047) were found to be significantly related to the patients' mean DN4 score.