Abstract:
Introduction: Diabetic neuropathy effects inevitably result in a decrease in quality of life
and significant financial burden on both patients and society. Despite the significant number
of patients suffering from the negative effects of diabetic neuropathy in Ethiopia, evidence on
the time to diabetic neuropathy and its predictors is lacking. As a result, the current study
sought to offer information on the time to diabetic neuropathy and its predictors in diagnosed
type 2 diabetes patients taking care in hospitals of Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2023
Objective: To determine the time to develop diabetic neuropathy and its predictors among
diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients taking care in hospitals of Wolaita zone, Southern
Ethiopia, 2023
Methods: Retrospective follow up study was conducted among 525 type 2 diabetes mellitus
patients who enrolled at Wolaita Sodo University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and
Dubo St Marry Catholic primary hospital, Southern Ethiopia from January 1, 2009 to
December 31, 2018. Simple random sampling technique was used to select study
participants. Extracted data was exported to Microsoft excel from kobo tool then imported to
and analyzed by Stata version 14. Bivariate and Multivariable Cox proportional hazard
regression analysis was done. The assumption of Cox proportional hazard was checked using
scheonfeld residuals test and graphical methods. Goodness of model fitness was checked by
using Cox Snell residual. Adjusted hazard ratio with 95% confidence interval and P-values
was used to identify statistically significant predictors. Result: The incidence rate of diabetic
neuropathy was 2.88 per one hundred person years. After adjusted for covariates the
significant predictors for diabetic neuropathy were age (95% CI=1.01, 1.07), being female
(95% CI=1.36, 3.12), dwelling in urban (95% CI=1.01, 2.69), oral hypoglycemic agent users
(95% CI= 1.75, 5.95), having hypertension (95% CI=1.22, 4.57), and having diabetic
retinopathy (95% CI=1.26, 4.29). Conclusions and recommendations: The incidence rate
of diabetic neuropathy was relatively high. Age, female, urban, oral hypoglycemic agent,
diabetic retinopathy, and hypertension were positively associated with diabetic neuropathy.
To reduce the incidence of diabetic neuropathy special care should be given for those with
other diabetic complication.
