The increase of neuropathic symptoms in diabetic patients is related with osteopenia

Purpose To investigate the relationship between the intensity of neuropathic pain and the severity of osteopenia in type 2 diabetic patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (painful DPN). Methods In 220 patients with type 2 diabetes included in the screening, the presence of neuropathic pain was evaluated using the Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions (DN4) scoring system. One hundred forty-five patients with painful DPN were identified and included in the study. Socio-demographic and laboratory evaluations were made and bone mineral density (BMD) of these patients was evaluated by the dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) method. Results There was a significant correlation between the neuropathic pain score and the total T scores of the lumbar spine and femur in patients with painful DPN. According to the regression analysis (standard coefficients), the DN4 score (0.498); the level of vitamin D (− 0.246) and the female sex (0.236) for the lumbar spine region; age (0.387); DN4 score (0.261); and vitamin D level (− 0.155) for the femur region were independently influencing factors on the development of osteoporosis. When osteoporosis (T score ≤ − 2.5) of the lumbar spine was analyzed by binary logistic regression, the risk of osteoporosis in women was 4.4 times higher, and the risk increased with increasing DN4 score. Conclusion The increase of neuropathic symptoms in patients with DPN is an effective and important factor in the development of diabetic osteopenia.