Korean J Geriatr Gerontol.
2013 Jun;14(1):49-52.
Diabetic Amyotrophy in the Elderly
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Family Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Abstract
- Diabetic amyotrophy in the elderly is considered as a distinctive form of diabetic neuropathy. It is characterized by weakness of proximal muscles either unilaterally or bilaterally, and is associated with pain. It is usually seen in patients with poorly controlled or previously unrecognized diabetes mellitus, and weight loss is a common concomitant. We report a case of an elderly patient with recently uncontrolled diabetes mellitus who has diabetic amyotrophy. A 65-year-old woman diagnosed with diabetes mellitus 5 years ago, was admitted with weight loss, mild pain, and weakness in both calfs, causing difficulty in walking and abrupt gait disturbance and consequently repeated falls.
