Key result
In Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes, the highest quartile of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was associated with an increased risk of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (OR 2.35; 95% CI 1.29-4.28).
Why the study?
Evidence regarding the association between arterial stiffness measured by baPWV and large-nerve fiber dysfunction assessed by VPT in young and middle-aged Chinese patients with T2DM was scarce.
Is elevated brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity associated with an increased risk of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in young and middle-aged Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes?
Cross-Sectional (n=600)
Is elevated brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity associated with an increased risk of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in young and middle-aged Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes?
Odds Ratio: 2.35 (95% CI 1.29–4.28)
p-value: p=0.005
Elevated arterial stiffness, measured by baPWV, is independently associated with an increased risk of large-nerve fiber dysfunction in young and middle-aged Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.
Arterial stiffness was associated with neuropathy in type 2 diabetes; hypothesis-generating, needs prospective confirmation.
Objective: Arterial stiffness, measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), has been linked to diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). However, evidence regarding its association with large-nerve fiber dysfunction, specifically assessed by vibration perception threshold (VPT), in young and middle-aged Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between baPWV and VPT in this specific population. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 600 inpatients with T2DM aged 18-65 years. baPWV was measured using an automated waveform analyzer. DPN was defined as a VPT ≥ 15 volts in at least one foot. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess independent association, expressed as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Restricted cubic spline and subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate the dose-response relationship and consistency of the association. Results: Among the participants, 165 (27.5%) were classified into the abnormal VPT group. After full adjustment for confounders including age, gender, diabetes duration, HbA1c, and lifestyle factors, each 100 cm/s increase in baPWV was significantly associated with increased odds of DPN (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.15). When analyzed by quartiles, participants in the highest baPWV quartile (≥1660 cm/s) had a 2.35-fold higher risk of abnormal VPT (OR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.29–4.28) compared to those in the lowest quartile (<1380 cm/s), with a significant trend across quartiles (P for trend = 0.005). A linear dose-response relationship was confirmed without evidence of a threshold effect. Subgroup analyses showed the association was consistent across different patient characteristics. Conclusion: Elevated baPWV is independently associated with an increased risk of diabetic peripheral neuropathy measured by VPT in young and middle-aged Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. This linear relationship not only underscores the pivotal role of arterial stiffness in the pathogenesis of DPN but also positions baPWV as a valuable tool for early risk stratification in clinical practice.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Xuan et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Type 2 diabetes (n=600). Elevated brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) vs. Lowest baPWV quartile (<1380 cm/s) was evaluated on Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (VPT ≥ 15 volts) (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.29-4.28, p=0.005). In Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes, the highest quartile of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was associated with an increased risk of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (OR 2.35; 95% CI 1.29-4.28).
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: