Frequency of hand and shoulder symptoms in patients with Type 1 diabetes

Aims To characterize the frequency of joint symptoms in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus and to determine the subset of patients at risk of developing these symptoms. Methods We invited patients with Type 1 diabetes to complete a survey in which upper limb joint symptoms were scored using a composite of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index and a visual analogue scale. Family or friends of the participants, without diabetes, completed control surveys. Results A total of 131 patients and 79 age‐ and sex‐matched control subjects completed the surveys. Patients with Type 1 diabetes had higher composite symptom scores than did the control subjects [median (range) score 25 (0–208) vs 12 (0–145); P 30 years: 63(0–208), 15–30 years: 46(0–168), diabetes