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Sural nerve biopsy may predict future nerve dysfunction
Author(s) -
Thrainsdottir S.,
Malik R. A.,
Rosén I.,
Jakobsson F.,
Bakhtadze E.,
Petersson J.,
Sundkvist G.,
Dahlin L. B.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2008.01118.x
Subject(s) - sural nerve , medicine , nerve conduction velocity , nerve fiber , body mass index , diabetes mellitus , nerve conduction , median nerve , cardiology , diabetic neuropathy , peripheral neuropathy , sensory nerve , motor nerve , sensory system , anatomy , endocrinology , neuroscience , psychology
Objective – Sural nerve pathology in peripheral neuropathy shows correlation with clinical findings and neurophysiological tests. The aim was to investigate progression of nerve dysfunction over time in relation to a baseline nerve biopsy. Methods – Baseline myelinated nerve fiber density (MNFD) was assessed in sural nerve biopsies from 10 men with type 2 diabetes, 10 with impaired and 10 with normal glucose tolerance. Nerve conduction and quantitative perception thresholds were estimated at baseline and follow‐up (7–10 years later). Results – Subjects with low MNFD (≤ 4700 fibers/mm 2 ) showed decline of peroneal amplitude ( P < 0.02) and conduction velocity ( P < 0.04), as well as median nerve sensory amplitude ( P < 0.05) and motor conduction velocity ( P < 0.04) from baseline to follow‐up. In linear regression analyses, diabetes influenced decline of nerve conduction. MNFD correlated negatively with body mass index ( r = −0.469; P < 0.02). Conclusion – Low MNFD may predict progression of neurophysiological dysfunction and links obesity to myelinated nerve fiber loss.