[Clinical and electroneurographic changes in the peripheral nervous system of patients with chronic insulin-dependent...

The clinical and electro-neurographic examinations were carried out in 54 patients aged 21-67 years (mean = 41.8) with IDDM of at least 10-year duration, and 25 subjects aged 19-62 years (mean = 39.0) as a control group. The aim of the study was the determination of: 1) the frequency of polyneuropathy appearance in patients with IDDM of at least 10-year duration; 2) the usefulness of electroneurography for detection of subclinical impairment of peripheral nervous system in diabetics; 3) the characterization of electro-neurographic abnormalities in diabetic neuropathy; 4) the influence of diabetes duration and metabolic control on severity of peripheral nerves affection; 5) the relationship between polyneuropathy and retinopathy, nephropathy and cataract occurrence in diabetic patients. Polyneuropathy was diagnosed--clinically in 67% of patients, electro-neurographically in 85% of patients. The neurographic study proved high sensitivity for detection of subclinical affection of peripheral nerves in diabetics. The electro-neurographic abnormalities appeared more frequently and were more considerable in the group of patients with clinical polyneuropathy. Frequency of the sensory and motor nerve fibres involvement was similar. The electroneurographical abnormalities corresponded with the features of mixed--axonal and demyelinating type of neuropathy. It was disclosed that the degree of neurographical changes did not depend on duration and severity of hyperglycemia in late period of the disease. A moderate relationship between occurrence of polyneuropathy and retinopathy, nephropathy as well as diabetic cataract was revealed.