Table 2.
Pain-related participant characteristics
| Characteristic | Participants (n = 777) |
|---|---|
| Duration of bilateral foot pain, years | |
| < 0.5 | 72 (9.3) |
| 0.5 to < 1.0 | 83 (10.7) |
| ≥ 1.0 | 557 (71.7) |
| Unknown | 65 (8.4) |
| Symptoms of pain according to the DN4 questionnaire | |
| Burning sensation, yes/no | 99 (12.7)/678 (87.3) |
| Painful cold, yes/no | 245 (31.5)/532 (68.5) |
| Electric shocks, yes/no | 319 (41.1)/458 (58.9) |
| Tingling, yes/no | 380 (48.9)/397 (51.1) |
| Pins and needles, yes/no | 170 (21.9)/607 (78.1) |
| Numbness, yes/no | 587 (75.5)/190 (24.5) |
| Itching, yes/no | 161 (20.7)/616 (79.3) |
| DN4 questionnaire | |
| “Yes” to ≥ 3 | 337 (43.4) |
| “Yes” to < 3 | 440 (56.6) |
| Diagnosis of neuropathy | |
| Achilles tendon reflex test | |
| Received | 359 (46.2) |
| Never received | 374 (48.1) |
| Unknown | 44 (5.7) |
| Vibration sensation test | |
| Received | 244 (31.4) |
| Never received | 475 (61.1) |
| Unknown | 58 (7.5) |
| Pain sensation test | |
| Received | 270 (34.7) |
| Never received | 438 (56.4) |
| Unknown | 69 (8.9) |
| Complaints of pain or numbness | |
| Received | 571 (73.5) |
| Never received | 157 (20.2) |
| Unknown | 49 (6.3) |
| Autonomic nerve function test | |
| Received | 305 (39.3) |
| Never received | 409 (52.6) |
| Unknown | 63 (8.1) |
| Nerve conduction test | |
| Received | 141 (18.1) |
| Never received | 575 (74.0) |
| Unknown | 61 (7.9) |
| Timing of diagnosis | |
| Achilles tendon reflex test | |
| At first visit | 126 (16.2) |
| When complaining of pain or numbness | 152 (19.6) |
| Regular | 53 (6.8) |
| Unknown | 61 (7.9) |
| Vibration sensation test | |
| At first visit | 70 (9.0) |
| When complaining of pain or numbness | 109 (14.0) |
| Regular | 46 (5.9) |
| Unknown | 41 (5.3) |
| Pain sensation test | |
| At first visit | 78 (10.0) |
| When complaining of pain or numbness | 132 (17.0) |
| Regular | 50 (6.4) |
| Unknown | 37 (4.8) |
| Complaints of pain or numbness | |
| At first visit | 139 (17.9) |
| When complaining of pain or numbness | 335 (43.1) |
| Regular | 135 (17.4) |
| Unknown | 29 (3.7) |
| Autonomic nerve function test | |
| At first visit | 77 (9.9) |
| When complaining of pain or numbness | 107 (13.8) |
| Regular | 99 (12.7) |
| Unknown | 47 (6.0) |
| Nerve conduction test | |
| At first visit | 44 (5.7) |
| When complaining of pain or numbness | 65 (8.4) |
| Regular | 38 (4.9) |
| Unknown | 14 (1.8) |
| Type of treatment for pain | |
| Oral medication | 385 (49.5) |
| Topical medication | 161 (20.7) |
| Injection | 77 (9.9) |
| Non-pharmacotherapy | 57 (7.3) |
| None | 303 (39.0) |
| NRS, mean ± SD | 4.07 ± 2.35 |
| Established treatment goal | 476 (61.3) |
| Adherence to antidiabetic drugs | |
| Take as instructed by doctor | 665 (85.6) |
| Sometimes forget | 98 (12.6) |
| Often forget | 6 (0.8) |
| Hardly take as instructed | 8 (1.0) |
| Duration of treatment for pain, years | |
| < 0.5 | 61 (7.9) |
| 0.5 to < 1.0 | 65 (8.4) |
| ≥ 1.0 | 325 (41.8) |
| Unknown | 23 (3.0) |
Data are presented as n (%) unless otherwise noted
NRS Numerical Rating Scale, SD standard deviation, DN4 Douleur Neuropathique 4