Painful foot drop; a presentation of diabetic muscle infarction

Diabet Med. 2010 Aug;27(8):958-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2010.03060.x.

Abstract

Background: Macro- and microvascular complications of diabetes are varied and can present with a range of clinical signs and symptoms. Diabetic muscle infarction is a rare vascular complication of diabetes that is often not recognized.

Case report: We report a case of diabetic muscle infarction, where a 65-year-old woman with Type 2 diabetes presented with acute-onset severe pain in her right leg and foot drop.

Conclusions: Her foot drop was a result of a concomitant compression nerve injury as a consequence of the muscle oedema following infarction. Our case highlights the importance of early recognition and investigation of atypical presentations of vascular complications of diabetes.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / physiopathology*
  • Diabetic Angiopathies / complications*
  • Diabetic Angiopathies / diagnosis
  • Diabetic Angiopathies / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Foot / blood supply*
  • Gait Disorders, Neurologic / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Infarction / etiology
  • Infarction / physiopathology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / blood supply
  • Pain / etiology
  • Pain / physiopathology