Movement Disorders And Diabetes, A Study From South India

Purpose: Movement disorders like chorea, hemichorea-hemiballismus, choreoathetosis has been documented earlier with diabetes mellitus. We in our study have analyzed clinical and radiological characteristics of movement disorders occurring in association with diabetes. Methods: Patients admitted with movement disorders were screened for the presence of Diabetes. Patients with history of diabetes or new onset diabetes were analyzed for their clinical presentation and radiological characteristics, and the recovery of movement disorders with treatment of diabetes. Results: A total of eleven patients who presented with involuntary movements were found to have diabetes. Of these, five patients presented with hemiballismushemichorea, three with hemichorea, and two patients with choreoathetosis and one with generalized chorea-ballismus. The age of the patients ranged between 45–73 years. In three patients, it was the presenting symptom of diabetes without any previous history of diabetes. The glycemic status as assessed by HbA1C was very poor, with values more than 10 % in all the 11 patients. In nine patients, the Brain CT showed hyperdensity in the region of putamen. In all the patients, the involuntary movements resolved completely or decreased with treatment of diabetes. Conclusion: Movement disorders are associated with diabetes. The early recognisation of the clinical and radiological features of these movement disorders is necessary, as prompt control of the glycemic status will result in rapid recovery of these involuntary movements and will have good prognosis.