Takeaway
Low serum cholesterol levels are associated with peripheral nerve damage in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN).
Why this matters
Nerve lesions in patients with T2D increase with lower serum cholesterol levels, suggesting that lowering serum cholesterol levels (a well-established treatment for dyslipidemia) may be associated with DPN.
This study may be the first to visualize in vivo that low levels of serum cholesterol are indeed associated with peripheral nerve swelling and a higher load of lipid equivalent lesions (LEL) in patients with T2D and DPN.
Clinical trials including patients with very low serum cholesterol levels should therefore monitor the onset or deterioration of neuropathic symptoms.