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Cutaneous nerves in diabetic neuropathy: an immunohistochemical study
Author(s) -
Al'Abadie Mohammed S.K.,
Gawkrodger David J.,
Senior H. Jennifer,
Dent Mervyn,
Ward John D.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3083.1993.tb00041.x
Subject(s) - medicine , sural nerve , diabetes mellitus , diabetic neuropathy , immunohistochemistry , skin biopsy , peripheral neuropathy , biopsy , nerve biopsy , pathology , endocrinology
Background Diabetic neuropathy is usually investigated using the invasive sural nerve biopsy technique; while little is known about dermal nerve alteration in diabetic neuropathy. Patients and Methods Skin biopsies from the lower leg of five diabetics (mean age, 55 years)with autonomic and sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy were compared to biopsies from five non‐diabetic controls (mean age, 47 years). Immunohistochemical methods were employed using the anti‐neurofilament monoclonal antibodies 127.11 and UJ 13A. The dermal nerve profile areas were counted with a Quantimet image analyser. Results he diabetic biopsies gave significantly lower readings than the controls (P < 0.05, Mann‐Whitney U ‐test). Conclusion Skin biopsy is a simple and reliable method for evaluating distal nerves in diabetes.