OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of vascular abnormality on diabetic neuropathy with the use of pedal vascular pulsation and electrodiagnostic study. METHOD: One hundred-eight non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus patients were studied. All patients underwent nerve conduction studies.
Evaluation of vascular status was done using pedal pulse palpation. Four groups were formed. Electrophysiologically normal group was subdivided into non-vascular abnormality group (A1) and vascular abnormality group (A2). Neuropathy group was subdivided into non-vascular abnormality group (B1) and vascular abnormality group (B2). The frequency of diabetic neuropathy among whole groups and the difference of amplitude, conduction velocity, and F-wave latency within A groups and B groups were investigated, respectively.
RESULTS
Diabetic neuropathy was significantly correlated with vascular abnormality (p<0.05). There was no definite difference of electrophysiologic parameters between A1 and A2 groups. B1 group showed significantly reduced amplitude of SNAPs in sural and median sensory nerves compared with B2 group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of the study support the influence of vascular abnormality on diabetic neuropathy and suggest that vascular abnormality in patients with diabetic neuropathy results in axonal injury rather than demyelination injury.
