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Relationship between corneal confocal microscopy and markers of peripheral nerve structure and function in Type 2 diabetes
Author(s) -
Yan A.,
Issar T.,
Tummanapalli S. S.,
Markoulli M.,
Kwai N. C. G.,
Poynten A. M.,
Krishnan A. V.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1111/dme.13952
Subject(s) - medicine , whorl (mollusc) , confocal microscopy , ophthalmology , diabetes mellitus , confocal , nerve fiber , optic nerve , type 2 diabetes , peripheral neuropathy , cornea , pathology , anatomy , endocrinology , biology , botany , geometry , mathematics , genus , microbiology and biotechnology
Abstract Aims To investigate changes in corneal nerve morphology in Type 2 diabetes and to establish relationships between in vivo corneal confocal microscopy and markers of peripheral nerve structure and function. Participants and methods We recruited 57 participants with Type 2 diabetes and 26 healthy controls of similar age and sex distribution. We also recruited a disease control group of 54 participants with Type 1 diabetes. All participants were assessed for distal symmetrical polyneuropathy using the Total Neuropathy Score. In vivo corneal confocal microscopy was used to assess corneal nerve fibre length, corneal nerve fibre density, corneal nerve branch density and inferior whorl length. Peripheral nerve structure was assessed using median nerve ultrasonography. Large fibre function was assessed according to median nerve axonal excitability. Small fibre function was assessed using Sudoscan TM and the Survey of Autonomic Symptoms. Results Corneal nerve fibre length, fibre density and branch density and inferior whorl length were significantly lower in individuals with Type 2 diabetes compared to controls ( P <0.001 for all). In the Type 2 diabetes cohort, correlations were observed between neuropathy severity and corneal nerve fibre density ( P =0.004), corneal nerve branch density ( P =0.003), corneal nerve fibre length ( P =0.002) and inferior whorl length ( P =0.01). Significant correlations were observed between corneal confocal outcomes and axonal excitability measurements. No association was found between corneal confocal microscopy and median nerve cross‐sectional area, Sudoscan measurements or the Survey of Autonomic Symptoms. Conclusions This study demonstrated significant changes in corneal nerves in individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Reductions in corneal nerve measures correlated with increasing neuropathy severity. Associations were found between corneal confocal microscopy and markers of voltage‐gated potassium channel function.