Evaluation of atrophy of foot muscles in diabetic neuropathy -- a comparative study of nerve conduction studies and ultrasonography.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relation between the findings at nerve conduction studies and the size of small foot muscles determined by ultrasonography. METHODS: In 26 diabetic patients the size of the extensor digitorum brevis muscle (EDB) and of the muscles between the first and second metatarsal bone (MIL) was determined. Motor nerve conduction studies of the peroneal and tibial nerves were performed with determination of the amplitudes of the CMAPs and of the nerve conduction velocities (NCV). Further, a standardised clinical examination was performed providing a neurological impairment score. RESULTS: Seventeen patients fulfilled the criteria for diabetic neuropathy. The cross-sectional area of the EDB muscle and the thickness of the MIL muscle were 116 +/- 65 mm2 and 29.6 +/- 8.2 mm, respectively. Close relations were established between muscle size and the amplitude of the CMAP of the peroneal (r=0.77, p<0.001) and of the tibial nerve (r=0.70, p<0.01). Further there were close relations between the muscle size and the NCV of the peroneal (r=0.62, p<0.01) and of the tibial nerve (r=0.71, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The amplitude of the CMAP of the peroneal and of the tibial nerves is closely related to the size of the small foot muscles as determined by ultrasonography. SIGNIFICANCE: In diabetic patients motor nerve conduction studies can reliably determine the size of small foot muscles.

Author information

Author/s: Severinsen, Kaare (K); Andersen, Henning (H);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (Clin Neurophysiol), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Oct; vol 118 (issue 10) : pp 2172-5

Dates: Created 2007/09/17; Completed 2007/11/20; Revised 2008/11/21;

PMID: 17709290, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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