Longitudinal assessment of metabolic and neurological decline in peripheral polyneuropathy over ten years.

Aims: This research aims to evaluate changes in metabolic status and the development of peripheral polyneuropathy (PN) in Kazakhstan.

Methods: This longitudinal observational study followed a cohort of adults with metabolic syndrome, comparing clinical, biochemical, and neurophysiological parameters between baseline (2014) and follow-up (2024). A total of 213 out of the original 570 participants were reexamined, with standardized assessments including anthropometry, blood tests, and electroneuromyography.

Results: Over the observation period, normoglycemic participants decreased from 67% to 54% while prediabetic participants increased from 17% to 37% (p < 0.001). The average BMI of participants increased from 27.8 to 29.3 kg/m², and the prevalence of abdominal obesity rose from 72% to 85% (p < 0.001). At the 10-year follow-up, polyneuropathy was identified in 28% of participants, who totaled 60 individuals. The research found that diabetes created a nine times higher risk of PN development (OR = 9.23, p < 0.001), and BMI and waist circumference measurements also were associated with increased odds of PN at follow-up.

Conclusion: Adverse metabolic profiles were associated with the presence of polyneuropathy at the 10-year follow-up, including among individuals without overt diabetes. These findings highlight the importance of metabolic risk factors management to reduce the burden of PN.