Association between diabetic peripheral neuropathy and sarcopenia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Aim The present study comprehensively investigated the relationship between diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and sarcopenia by identifying all eligible studies and summarizing their results. Methods Records were identified through MEDLINE and EMBASE database searching from inception to March 9, 2022. We included all cross‐sectional studies investigating the association between DPN and sarcopenia among patients with diabetes. Data from eligible studies, including point estimates and standard errors, were pooled together using the generic inverse variance method. Results Of 2989 retrieved articles, five studies met the inclusion criteria and were allowed for meta‐analysis. The pooled analysis found a significant association between DPN and sarcopenia with the pooled odds ratio of 1.62 (95% confidence interval: 1.30–2.02; I 2 0%). The funnel plot was relatively symmetric and was not suggestive of the presence of publication bias. Conclusions The current study discovered a significant association between DPN and sarcopenia in patients with diabetes. However, given summarized data from cross‐sectional studies, the temporality between DPN and sarcopenia could not be established. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 785–789 .