Electrodiagnostic evaluation of median nerve conduction in Type II diabetes mellitus patients that were asymptomatic for peripheral neuropathy: a case control study

Abstract

Background: Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a potentially debilitating complication of diabetes mellitus but many of the diabetic patients are often asymptomatic of DN, thereby, placing them at high risk of developing debilitating complications like diabetic hand and foot.

Aim: The study was designed to evaluate median nerve conduction of T2DM patients that were asymptomatic for neuropathy and compare their findings with age and sex-matched healthy individuals.

Methods: The median motor and sensory nerve conduction study was conducted on 100 type 2 diabetic (T2DM) patients and 100 healthy volunteers, matched for age and sex-matched control. Median nerve motor and sensory proximal and Distal latency (DL), Amplitude and Conduction Velocity (CV) as well as motor f-reponse were measured using Nihoen Kohden EMG Machine and standardized techniques of measurement in the course of the study were adhered to.

Results: On comparison of the median nerve motor and sensory parameters, the median nerve (motor and sensory) distal latencies and f-responses were significantly lower in the control group while the median nerve conduction velocities and amplitudes were significantly higher in the T2DM group.

Conclusion: The study showed significant impairment of median nerve conduction parameters in T2DM patients who did not have any feature suggestive of peripheral neuropathy when compared with apparently healthy individuals. Thus high index of suspicion as well as early screening for peripheral neuropathy in diabetes is further emphasized.

Keywords: Median nerve, diabetic neuropathy, electrodiagnostic evaluation, conduction velocity, latency