PERIPHERAL NERVE CONDUCTION IN DIABETIC NEUROPATHY

Abstract

This study relates motor nerve conduction velocity and action potentials to particular clinical features of diabetic neuropathy. In five patients with sensory neuropathy affecting the lower limbs loss of vibration sensation in the feet and loss of the nerve action potential were most frequent. Both of these functions rely upon synchronous conduction in a large number of fibres and their loss maybe due to a slowing and dispersion of impulses in individual fibres. Mixed motor and sensory neuropathy in two patients resulted in asymmetrical muscle wasting and weakness with proximal muscles severely involved. Five patients with isolated nerve lesions, in either the ulnar, median or lateral popliteal nerves were investigated and electrical abnormalities were demonstrable only in the affected nerves. Results also showed the importance of mechanical factors in the aetiology of isolated peripheral nerve lesions in diabetic patients.