[Effect of diabetic control on the progression of neuropathy]

Full Abstract

We investigated the relationship between blood levels of HbA1, an indicator of diabetic control, and the polyneuropathy index (PNI), an indicator of diabetic polyneuropathy. A total of 175 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus were followed for more than 3 years and were subjected to a series of motor conduction studies every 1 to 3 years. The PNI was calculated as a mean percentage of normal values for 12 indices derived from the conduction velocity and long-distance latency in motor conduction studies of 4 nerves. The mean follow-up period was 5.0 years, and during that time the mean decrease in the PNI was 2.7%. There was a significant negative correlation between mean HbA1 levels (X) and the percent changes in PNI per year (Y), and the equation for the regression line was Y = -0.102X + 0.37 (r = 0.283, p < 0.001). The higher the HbA1 level during this period, the larger the decline in PNI was. In patients with low initial PNI levels the change in PNI tended to be small in spite of high HbA1 levels. Likewise, in patients with high initial PNI levels the decrease in PNI tended to be large despite relatively good control of their HbA1 levels. However, since there were many patients whose HbA1 levels were not correlated with the reduction in PNI, there may be some unknown factors, possibly genetic, that play a role in the progression of polyneuropathy in diabetic patients.

Author information

Author/s: Hasegawa, O (O); Suzuki, Y (Y); Komiyama, A (A); Arita, T (T); Matsumoto, S (S);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Japan.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: English Abstract; Journal Article

Journal: No to shinkei = Brain and nerve (No To Shinkei), published in JAPAN. (Language: jpn)

Reference: 1995-Dec; vol 47 (issue 12) : pp 1179-82

Dates: Created 1996/02/06; Completed 1996/02/06; Revised 2007/02/22;

PMID: 8534555, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00)

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