Relation of the clinical stages of diabetic peripheral neuropathy with the electrophysiology

Objective To study the relation between clinical stages of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and electrophysiology. Methods 86 cases of patients of diabetic neuropathy were observed. According to the criteria of stage, the patients were classed into three groups from the first stage to the third stage. Standard sensory and motor nerve conduction studies were performed in the patients of diabetic neuropathy. The sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV), motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV), amplitude of sensory nerve action potential (SNAP), and amplitude of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) of median nerve, ulnar nerve and common peroneal nerve were studied simultaneously. Results The SNAP of median nerve, sural nerve and CMAP of common peroneal nerve in the third stages lowered more noticeable than others (P0.05). The conduction velocity slowed dramatically in the third stage (P0.05). The lower extremities were damaged more severe than upper extremities and the abnormal degree was higher in the sensory nerve than that in the motor nerve. ConclusionThe changes of nerve conduct may be viewed as the criteria for evaluating the degree of diabetic neuropathy. Especially sural nerve.