Reduced microvascular reactivity in patients with diabetic neuropathy

Neurogenic regulation is involved in the development of microcirculation response to local heating. We suggest that microvascular reactivity can be used to estimate the severity of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN).

To evaluate the prospects for using the parameters of skin microvascular reactivity to determine the severity of DPN.

26 patients with diabetes mellitus were included in the study (patients with retinopathy (n = 15), and without retinopathy (n = 11)). The severity of DPN was assessed using Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) and Norfolk QOL-DN (NQOLDN). Skin microcirculation was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry with local heating test.

There were revealed moderate negative correlations between microvascular reactivity and the severity of DPN (for MNSI (Rs = -0.430), for NQOLDN (Rs = -0.396)). In patients with retinopathy, correlations were stronger than in the general group (for MNSI (Rs = -0.770) and NQOLDN (Rs = -0.636)). No such correlations were found in patients without retinopathy.

Correlation of the microvascular reactivity and DPN was revealed in patients with registered structural disorders in microvessels (retinopathy). The lack of such correlation in patients without retinopathy may be explained by the intact compensatory mechanisms of microvessels without severe disorders.