Table 1 Milestones in the history of diabetic peripheral neuropathy

second century AD

Aretaeus of Cappadocia uses the word diabetes in his writings to describe a rare disease that causes excessive urination

[13]

1674

Thomas Willis uses the phrase, “quasi melle aut saccharo imbutam mire dulcescere” to describe the extremely sweet taste of urine from patients with diabetes and suggests that the sweetness is initially present in the blood

[14]

1776

Matthew Dobson conducts experiments that confirm the presence of sugar in urine and blood from patients with DM

[15]

1798

John Rollo provides detailed observations of symptoms consistent with dysfunction of the peripheral nervous system in patients with DM

[16]

1815

Michel Eugène Chevreul identifies glucose in urine from patients with DM

[14]

1864

Charles-Jacob Marchal de Calvi recognizes that DM causes dysfunction of the nervous system

[17]

1885

Frederick William Pavy describes the signs and symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy

[18]

1887

Thomas Davies Pryce recognizes the relationship between peripheral nerve damage and foot ulceration in patients with DM

[19]

1887

Ernst Viktor von Leyden classifies diabetic peripheral neuropathy into three forms: hyperesthetic or neuralgic; motor or paralytic; and ataxic or pseudotabetic

[20]

1890

Jean-Martin Charcot describes the clinical features of diabetic peripheral neuropathy

[21]

1936

Harold Percival Himsworth recognizes that there are two main types of DM: insulin-sensitive or insulin-insensitive

[22]

1946–1947

The first community-based screening for DM is conducted in Oxford, Massachusetts

[23]

1954

M. Mencer Martin demonstrates the importance of neuropathy in the pathogenesis of foot lesions in patients with DM

[24]

1956

Wilfrid George Oakley classifies foot lesions in patients with DM into four types: septic; neuropathic; ischaemic; or combinations of septic, neuropathic, and ischaemic

[25]

1959

Sven-Erik Fagerberg recognizes that diabetic neuropathy is associated with histopathological changes in the small blood vessels of peripheral nerves

[26]

1961

Allan Watson Downie conducts research on nerve conduction velocities in patients with DM

[27]

1963

I. Steiness conducts research on vibration perception threshold in patients with DM

[28]

1988

A consensus panel proposes a scheme for classifying diabetic neuropathy into Class I (absence of demonstrable signs and symptoms) and Class II (presence of signs, symptoms, or both)

[29]

1988

Peter James Dyck proposes a system for staging the severity of diabetic neuropathy into grade 0 (no abnormality); grade 1a (nerve conduction abnormality); grade 1b (nerve conduction abnormality + signs); grade 2a (nerve conduction abnormality + symptoms ± signs; and grade 2b (nerve conduction abnormality + moderate weakness ± symptoms)

[30]

1994

The EDIC study commences with the aim of evaluating the development and progression of diabetes complications in the DCCT cohort

[31]

1997

Peter Kynaston Thomas proposes a scheme for classifying diabetic neuropathy into hyperglycemic neuropathy; symmetric polyneuropathy; focal and multifocal neuropathy; and mixed forms

[32]

1998

Andrew J. M. Boulton proposes a system for staging the severity of diabetic neuropathy into stage 0/1 (no clinical neuropathy); stage 2 (clinical neuropathy); stage 3 (late complications of clinical neuropathy)

[33]

2005

The ADA proposes a scheme for classifying diabetic neuropathy into two types: generalized symmetric polyneuropathies and focal and multifocal neuropathies

[34]

2008

Jennifer Tracy and Peter Dyck propose that diabetic neuropathy be classified either by anatomic pattern: symmetric and asymmetric or according to underlying pathophysiology: metabolic-microvascular-hypoxic; inflammatory immune; compression and repetitive injury; complications of diabetes; and treatment related

[35]

2010

The Toronto Diabetic Neuropathy Expert Group proposes diagnostic criteria for possible, probable, confirmed, and subclinical diabetic neuropathy

[36]

2017

The ADA proposes a comprehensive scheme for classifying diabetic neuropathy into diffuse neuropathy; mononeuropathy; and radiculopathy

[8]

twenty-first century AD

Development and implementation of comprehensive diabetic foot prevention programs gains momentum around the world

[37]