Sadaf Ahmed, Sheeza Mujeeb, Samia Mushtaq and Zahir Hussain
Abstract
Nerve conduction study (NCS) has its significant importance in the diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy. We evaluated NCS in patients
with diabetic neuropathy and also compared these parameters on the basis of their variations between upper and lower limbs, and the
progression of the neuropathy with the duration of diabetes. We undertook a pilot study of NCS of Median, Ulnar, Peroneal and Tibial
nerve in 56 diabetics of age 40 to 50 years with symptoms of neuropathy. The compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) were
recorded with surface electrodes. NCS revealed abnormal values of conduction velocity(NCV) in 63% of the total patients. We found
decline of Median 27%, Ulnar 26%, Peroneal 29% and Tibial 35% NCV. While rest of 37% patients had normal values for conduction
velocity besides having neurological symptoms. We found close association between neurological deficit score and abnormalities in
NCS. The values for amplitude were still in normal range. Decrease in conduction velocity of Tibial and Peroneal nerve indicate
earlier progression of the disease in lower limbs than upper limbs that further indicated early demyelination in these nerves. The
normal amplitude of all four nerves indicated that axonal loss may accompany in later stages of disease.
Sadaf Ahmed, Sheeza Mujeeb, Samia Mushtaq and Zahir Hussain. (2010) EVALUATION OF NERVE CONDUCTION STUDIES IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETIC NEUROPATHY: A STUDY ON MEDIAN, ULNAR, PERONEAL AND TIBIAL NERVE, , Volume 7, Issue 1 & 2.
