OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of shoulder pain and dysfunction in patients from Southern Brazil with diabetes mellitus (DM) and to evaluate the association of pain and dysfunction with diabetes control and epidemiological factors. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied 150 patients with type 2 DM for pain and shoulder dysfunction with the UCLA-m (modified University of California at Los Angeles Shoulder Rating Scale); for epidemiological and treatment data, values of Hb A1C and plasma glucose were analyzed. RESULTS: Pain was […]

Progressive painful syndromes due to skeletal muscle injuries rather than diabetic neuropathy are unusual complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). Two clinical cases are presented: Case 1 (pyomyositis: leg location) and Case 2 (muscle infarction: thigh location). Discussion on how to proceed the diagnosis based on clinical features are included as it is critical for early and proper treatment since approaches highly differ in the two situations. These complications can mimic thrombophlebitis, rabdomyolises or a neoplasm, therefore the diagnosis of a […]

Diabetic muscle infarction (DMI) is an uncommon complication of long standing diabetes (DM). This abnormal condition may occur in poorly controlled patients with type 1 and 2 DM with established microangiopathy. Clinical presentation is usually acute with severely painful swelling of the affected muscle, which persists for many weeks and has spontaneous recovery. Albeit uncertain, its etiology is associated with microangiopathy with occlusion of small arteries. This condition is diagnosed by biopsy although results from T2 – weight magnetic resonance […]