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Electrophysiological findings of peripheral neuropathy in newly diagnosed type II diabetes mellitus
Author(s) -
Rota Eugenia,
Quadri Roberto,
Fanti Edoardo,
Isoardo Gianluca,
Poglio Fabio,
Tavella Alessia,
Paolasso Ilaria,
Ciaramitaro Palma,
Bergamasco Bruno,
Cocito Dario
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of the peripheral nervous system
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1529-8027
pISSN - 1085-9489
DOI - 10.1111/j.1085-9489.2005.00046.x
Subject(s) - medicine , mononeuropathy , sural nerve , electrophysiology , peripheral neuropathy , snap , ulnar nerve , peripheral , sensory nerve , median nerve , common peroneal nerve , nerve conduction velocity , nerve conduction study , diabetic neuropathy , diabetes mellitus , type 2 diabetes mellitus , carpal tunnel syndrome , nerve conduction , sensory system , surgery , endocrinology , elbow , neuroscience , computer graphics (images) , computer science , biology
This study was aimed at assessing the electrophysiological signs of peripheral neuropathy in diabetes mellitus (DM) type II patients at diagnosis. Nerve conduction studies (NCS) of median, ulnar, peroneal, tibial and sural nerves were performed in 39 newly diagnosed DM subjects and compared to those of 40 healthy controls. Metabolic indices were also investigated. Electrophysiological alterations were found in 32 (82%) of the DM patients, and more than half of them (62.2%) showed multiple (two to five) abnormal parameters. Because most of the subjects (84.4%) had from two to five nerves involved, these alterations were widespread in the seven nerves evaluated. Forty‐two percent of the patients had NCS alterations suggestive of distal median mononeuropathy, implying that metabolic factors in DM make the median nerve more susceptible to focal entrapment. A reduced sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitude was observed in the median nerve in 70% of the patients, in the ulnar in 69% and in the sural nerve only in 22%. In the presence of a decrease in the SNAP amplitude of the ulnar or median nerve, the SNAP amplitude of the sural nerve was normal in 82 or 80% of the subjects, respectively. This finding may be in keeping with a distal involvement of the sensory fibres, as explored by routine median or ulnar NCS. No correlation was found between metabolic indices and NCS parameters. In conclusion, a high percentage of newly diagnosed DM patients show signs of neuropathy, and upper limb nerve sensory NCS seem to be more sensitive in detecting it than lower limb NCS.