Introduction
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic and progressive metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia due to defective insulin secretion and defective insulin action or both.1 Diabetes causes progressive complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy in the long term. Musculoskeletal disorders are generally not diabetes-specific and can also be seen in the non-diabetic population. However, its incidence has increased significantly in patients with diabetes.2
Musculoskeletal disorders in patients with diabetes include adhesive capsulitis, limited joint mobility syndrome (LJMS), Dupuytren’s contracture (DC), flexor tenosynovitis (FT), carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), Charcot arthropathy, diabetic muscle infarction, diabetic foot, gout and osteoporosis. 3The pathophysiology of musculoskeletal disorders has not been fully explained, and different mechanisms triggered by hyperglycemia are thought to be effective. Accompanying vasculopathy and neuropathy also cause changes in the connective tissue.4 Although the complications in the musculoskeletal system are prevalent, they are often overlooked. However, the presence of these complications affects the patients’ quality of life, leading to pain and limitation of movement.
In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of diabetes-related musculoskeletal disorders in our patients and the relationship of the musculoskeletal disorders including carpal tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren’s contracture, adhesive capsulitis, flexor tenosynovitis, limited joint mobility syndrome, Charcot arthropathy, diabetic foot, and gout to the patients’ age, gender, type of diabetes, duration of diabetes, HbA1c level and microvascular complications.