Table 8

Diabetic truncal radiculoneuropathy: clinical features

  • Pain over a focal area on the chest and/or abdomen. Usually unilateral, the pain often burning in quality, and in a variety of distributions reflecting nerve root or intercostal nerve trunk involvement

  • Focal contact hyperesthaesiae in the same area as the pain

  • Focal anterior abdominal wall weakness may be evident

  • Associated weight loss in some cases may be profound

  • Good prognosis with spontaneous recovery over several months