Sensory nerve conduction studies in the diagnosis of diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy: Electrophysiological features

Abstract

[Purpose] To analyze the electrophysiological characteristics of diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN), also known as DPN, and to determine sensitive indicators of the disease using sensory nerve conduction studies (SNCSs). [Methods] SNCSs of the median, ulnar, and sural nerve were performed on 120 patients diagnosed with DSPN and compared with those of 77 healthy controls. We performed analysis to detect abnormal conduction velocities and the distal amplitude of the compound nerve action potential (CNAP). In addition, we determined the optimal cut-off values for the diagnosis of DSPN. [Results] More severe abnormal nerve conduction was found in the lower limbs than in the upper limbs. The severity of the abnormal nerve conduction was more apparent in the distal CNAP amplitude than in the conduction velocity. [Conclusion] Our findings suggest that SNCSs of the lower limb nerve seem to be more sensitive at detecting DSPN than SNCSs of the upper limb. In particular, the sural nerve is the best indicator for the early detection of DSPN.