Pruritus induced self injury behavior: an overlooked risk factor for amputation in diabetic neuropathy?

David Dorfman; Mary Catherine George; Ronald Tamler; Julia Lushing; Alexandra Nmashie; David M Simpson

doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2013.12.013

Pruritus induced self injury behavior: an overlooked risk factor for amputation in diabetic neuropathy?

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2014 Mar;103(3):e47-8. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2013.12.013. Epub 2013 Dec 27.

Authors

David Dorfman¹, Mary Catherine George², Ronald Tamler³, Julia Lushing², Alexandra Nmashie², David M Simpson²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA. Electronic address: david.dorfman@mssm.edu.
² Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
³ Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.

PMID: 24447805
DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2013.12.013

Abstract

Pruritus is a risk factor for self-injury behavior (SIB) in sensory polyneuropathies. Although diabetes patients have elevated risk for pruritus, there are no reports of SIB in diabetic neuropathy. We present the case of a diabetes patient with neuropathy, whose pruritus induced SIB, resulted in partial amputation of a toe.

Keywords: Diabetes; Neuropathy; Pruritus; Self-injury.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amputation, Surgical*
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / complications*
Diabetic Foot / surgery*
Diabetic Neuropathies / complications*
Diabetic Neuropathies / surgery
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pruritus / complications*
Pruritus / pathology
Risk Factors
Self-Injurious Behavior / diagnosis
Self-Injurious Behavior / etiology*
Self-Injurious Behavior / surgery
Toes / surgery*