To commemorate World Diabetes Day 2024, P&G Health brought together health experts from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia on 27 November to discuss the latest research on Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) in Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes.

With 1 in 2 diabetics and 1 in 10 Pre-diabetics experiencing PN and its painful symptoms—and 8 out of 10 patients undiagnosed—experts stressed the urgent need to raise awareness among the public, doctors, and pharmacists.

Peripheral Neuropathy, caused by nerve damage, is a common peripheral nervous system disease that leads to poor mobility, motor impairments, and sensory issues, significantly lowering patients’ quality of life.

According to Dr. Bien Matawaran, an Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism consultant at the University of Santo Tomas, Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 is the leading cause of PN, with rising prevalence tied to the growing diabetic population. “Diabetic PN is seen in a very high proportion of patients with diabetes in Southeast Asia,” he added.

A 2000 study in the Philippines under the Diabcare-Asia project assessed 2,708 patients and found a 42% prevalence of diabetic neuropathy based on medical records.

Experts are exploring new treatments. Dr. Rizaldy Pinzon, a Neurologist at Bethesda Hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, shared, “New sub-group analysis findings conclude that treatment with a fixed dose combination of neurotropic B vitamins (B1, B6, and B12) was effective in relieving multiple symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy.”

He noted improvements of 50% to 80% in alleviating symptoms such as stabbing pain, burning pain, paresthesia, and numbness, significantly enhancing patients’ quality of life.

However, Dr. Francis Pasaporte of Iloilo Provincial Hospital highlighted that lack of awareness hinders early diagnosis and treatment.

“Often people are not even aware that they are at risk, as risk factors are not obvious, therefore it’s critical to watch out for symptoms and do an early check,” Matawaran said, emphasizing the reason why many remain undiagnosed for years and suffer despite the existing effective treatment.

To address this, P&G Health introduced the Neurometer Pro, a tool developed by experts from 10 countries to facilitate early diagnosis. Freely available in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the tool aims to aid timely diagnosis and improve care.

“By helping people understand signs and symptoms in a relatable manner, and the role of early diagnoses and timely treatment, we can empower them to take proactive steps towards seeking treatment and improving their quality of life,” said Dr. Kenny P. Merin, Assistant Vice President at Academics & Research of Lyceum of the Philippines University Davao.