Terminal complement complex deposition in endomysial capillaries detected by a C5b-9 immunostain is considered a diagnostic feature for dermatomyositis. However, we found widespread microvascular C5b-9 reactivity in a substantial subset of muscle biopsies with denervation changes, and in nerve biopsies of peripheral neuropathies, particularly in patients with diabetes. It is unclear whether the...

The descending pain modulatory system represents one of the oldest and most fundamentally important neurophysiological mechanisms relevant to pain. Extensive work in animals and humans has shown how a functional imbalance between the facilitatory and inhibitory components is linked to exacerbation and maintenance of persistent pain states. Forward translation of these findings into clinical pop...

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of diabetes and depression and their associations with quality of life using a representative population sample. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The study consisted of a representative population sample of individuals aged > or = 15 years living in South Australia comprising 3,010 personal interviews conducted by trained health interview...

OBJECTIVE This study was performed to identify the relationship between the quality of life and polyneuropathy which is one of the complications of diabetes. METHODS Total 111 patients with diabetes mellitus were taken into the study as type 1 and type 2. Patients were accepted having polyneuropathy according to their electroneuromyography (ENMG) results. To evaluate the quality of life in th...

I AM very conscious of the fact that, being an ophthalmologist, I have only a superficial knowledge of diabetes mellitus and also that, not being associated with a diabetic clinic, I have had only limited opportunities of studying its retinal complications. Any observations I make will, therefore, be open to the criticism that they would not form the basis of a statistical analysis. For these s...

Diabetic neuropathy is a debilitating disorder that occurs in nearly 50 percent of patients with diabetes. It is a late finding in type 1 diabetes but can be an early finding in type 2 diabetes. The primary types of diabetic neuropathy are sensorimotor and autonomic. Patients may present with only one type of diabetic neuropathy or may develop combinations of neuropathies (e.g., distal symmetri...

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the working age population in high-income countries. Since DR is asymptomatic until it reaches an advanced stage, early detection by retinal examination is crucial. This is the goal of a Diabetic Retinopathy Screening (DRS) Programme. In keeping with guidelines for screening programmes, it must adhere to a stan...