Open AccessAsymptomatic electrophysiologic carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetics: entrapment or polyneuropathy
Author(s) -
Woo Kyung Kim,
Soon Hee Kwon,
Soong Hyun Lee,
Il Nam Sunwoo
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
yonsei medical journal/yonsei medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.702
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1976-2437
pISSN - 0513-5796
DOI - 10.3349/ymj.2000.41.1.123
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , medicine , carpal tunnel syndrome , electrophysiologic study , nerve conduction study , nerve conduction velocity , diabetes mellitus , ulnar nerve , nerve conduction , cardiology , surgery , endocrinology , tachycardia , elbow
Electrophysiologic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is common and is frequently asymptomatic in diabetics. In order to evaluate the clinical significance of asymptomatic electrophysiologic CTS, the nerve conduction studies (NCS) of 48 diabetics with asymptomatic electrophysiologic CTS were compared with those of 56 age and gender-matched controls, as well as 50 patients with symptomatic CTS without diabetes. Nerve conduction velocities of the ulnar, peroneal, and posterior tibial nerves were significantly slower in diabetics with asymptomatic electrophysiologic CTS than in normal controls. Compared to symptomatic non-diabetic CTS, there was also significant slowing of the median and ulnar nerve conduction velocities in asymptomatic diabetic CTS. However, in diabetics with asymptomatic CTS, abnormalities of the distal segment of the median NCS were more prominent compared with those of all the other tested nerves. These findings suggested that asymptomatic electrophysiologic CTS in diabetics is a manifestation of increased vulnerability to the entrapment of the peripheral nerve.