Although chronic pain due to diabetic neuropathy, defined as painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN), is a debilitating and distressing complication of diabetes, epidemiological data on PDN has been scarce, especially in Asia. We evaluated the prevalence of Japanese PDN and its impact on their quality of life (QOL) and metnal state. In addition, we examined to which extent physicians are aware of patients’ PDN. A total of 298 patients with diabetes were found to be eligible for the study. We revealed that substantial percentage (22.1%) of Japanese diabetic patients had PDN and that PDN had negative effect on patients’ QOL and mental state. However, physicians were aware of PDN in only 36.4% of patients with the condition. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing the extent of physicians’ awareness of patients’ PDN. In conclusion, physicians treating diabetes need to be more aware of patients’ PDN in everyday clinical practice to prevent the progression of PDN and improve the patients’ QOL and mental state. 1. Introduction Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common long-term complications in diabetic patients and is the main initiating factor for foot ulceration and lower limb amputation [1]. In addition, diabetic peripheral neuropathy is associated not only with significant reduction in quality of life (QOL) but also with increased mortality [2]. The prevalence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy is 47% of all diabetic patients when nerve conduction testing is used for diagnosis [3]. Patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy often experience chronic pain defined as painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN), which starts in both feet and often leads to involving calves, fingers, and hands (glove and stocking pattern). The symptoms are typically characterized as prickling, burning, and like an electric shock with nocturnal exacerbations. PDN not only causes pain, but also has negative impact on patients’ sleep, mood, mental state, and daily activities resulting in poor QOL [4, 5]. Thus, PDN is a debilitating and distressing complication of diabetes. However, unlike other diabetic vascular complications including retinopathy, nephropathy, and atherosclerosis, PDN has not been extensively studied, and its epidemiological data has been scarce, especially in Asia. In addition, there have been few reports examining how diabetic physicians are aware of patients’ PDN. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of Japanese diabetic patients with PDN and its impact on their QOL and metnal state. In addition, we examined to which extent
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