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Updated: May 18, 2026

Three-dimensional Imaging of Nociceptive Intraepidermal Nerve Fibers in Human Skin Biopsies
Published on: April 29, 2013
Intraepidermal nerve fiber density and nerve conduction study parameters correlate with clinical staging of diabetic
Aiko Arimura1, Takahisa Deguchi, Kazuhiro Sugimoto
1Department of Neurology and Geriatrics, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan.
Aim And Methods:
To assess the usefulness of the diagnostic and staging criteria for diabetic polyneuropathy (DP) by the Diabetic Neuropathy Study Group in Japan (DNSGJ) we examined clinical features, intraepidermal nerve fiber densities (IENFD) and nerve conduction studies (NCS) and coefficient of variation of the R-R intervals (CVR-R) in 44 patients with diabetes.
Results:
The patients were classified into stage I (n=20), II (n=6), III+IV (n=12), and V (n=6) according to the staging criteria by DNSGJ. IENFD decreased as stages progressed (13.8±7.1 fiber/mm in stage I to 0.8±1.3 fiber/mm in stage V). Compound motor and sensory action potential and motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity decreased with progressing stage. F-wave latency prolonged as stages progressed. CVR-R decreased with progressing stage (4.41%±2.65% in stage I to 1.33%±0.57% in stage V). IENFD correlated with the various parameters of NCS (r=0.378-0.636, p<0.05) and CVR-R (r=0.399, p=0.007).
Conclusions:
Clinical staging for DP by DNSGJ reflects the results of small and large fiber neuropathy.
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