Prevalence of Peripheral Neuropathy and Association between Cardiovascular Disease and Adult Non-Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in Trinidad

Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) is a disease of the peripheral nerves that may be insidious at onset, sometimes difficult to diagnose in the early stages, and may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality, but not necessarily so. The association between Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) and the development of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is well established. However, there are no published studies that have examined the prevalence of non-diabetic PN and its association with the development of CVD in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. Applying the socioecological model as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this crosssectional study was to determine the prevalence of nondiabetic PN and to determine whether non-diabetic PN was associated with the development of CVD, participants’ income, smoking, alcohol consumption, age, gender, and ethnicity among an adult population not suffering from diabetes in the South-Western part of Trinidad. Primary data from eight general medical practices were analyzed using binary logistic regression in SPSS. The prevalence of non-diabetic PN was 21.5%, while in adults with diabetes, the prevalence was 38.1%. CVD was significantly associated with non-diabetic PN (Odds Ratio (OR), 5.47, p<0.05, 95% CI: 1.61–18.60). Controlling for the other variables, older adults had a significantly increased risk for developing non-diabetic PN (OR, 2.70, p<0.05, 95% CI: 1.36–5.34). CVD was significantly associated with age (OR, 4.69, p<0.05, 95% CI: 1.67–13.14). Participants’ income, smoking status, alcohol consumption, gender, and ethnicity were not associated with the development of non-diabetic PN. Non-diabetic PN is insidious at onset and can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages. Patients with peripheral neuropathy not in the context of diabetes, especially older patients, should be screened for cardiovascular disease, and vice versa.