[Diabetic neuropathies: clinical sub-types, early detection, and asking help from neurologist].

In diabetes mellitus, it is expected to see a common, mainly sensitive, distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DPN) involving a large proportion of diabetic patients according to known risk factors. Several other diabetic peripheral neuropathies are recognized, such as dysautonomia and multifocal neuropathies including lumbosacral radiculoplexus and oculomotor palsies. In this review, general aspects of DPN and other diabetic neuropathies are examined, and it is discussed why and how the general practitioner has to perform a yearly examination. At the present time, some consensus emerge to ask help from neurologist when faced to other forms of peripheral neuropathies than distal symmetrical DPN.