Influence of height on quantitative sensory, nerve-conduction, and clinical indices of diabetic peripheral neuropathy

We have examined associations between height and quantitative sensory, nerve-conduction, and clinical indices of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in adult diabetic patients. Vibratory sensitivity was strongly related to height when measurements were made with either the vibration sensitivity tester (P = .02) or the biothesiometer (P less than .01); however, there was no relation between thermal sensitivity (as measured with the thermal sensitivity tester) and height. The peroneal and posterior tibial motor nerve-conduction velocities were inversely related to height (P less than .05 for both). When age and diabetes duration were included as variables in multiple regression analyses, the associations with height became stronger. Clinical indices of peripheral neuropathy were also related to height in these analyses. Glycosylated hemoglobin was significantly related to thermal sensitivity and the peroneal and posterior tibial motor nerve-conduction velocities but not to vibratory sensitivity. These data indicate that height has a marked influence on quantitative sensory, nerve-conduction, and clinical indices of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.