[Examination of peripheral sensibility. Vibration test is more sensitive than monofilament test]

Diabetes mellitus is often attended by complications such as neuropathy. A standardized examination method can presumably facilitate identification of patients with peripheral neuropathy. A study was carried out for the purpose of evaluating monofilament examination as a compliment to vibration testing in the workup of peripheral sensibility. 236 adult patients, mainly with type-2 diabetes, were examined by diabetes nurses. These examinations entailed analysis of potential variations in correlation between neuropathy, age and duration of diabetes. The results showed a difference between the two test methods, with vibration testing showing greater sensitivity. There was a clear association between neuropathy on the one hand, and both increased age and longer duration of diabetes on the other. Even if the monofilament instrument did not show as great a sensitivity as tuning-fork/Biothesiometer in this study it should nonetheless be used as a complement in the neuropathy workup of the diabetic patient.