Correlation between serum neuron-specific enolase and pain degree in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and pain degree in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN). Methods Seventy patients with PDPN hospitalized from January 2012 to May 2017 in the Department of Geriatrics, Lianyungang Second Hospital were selected as the PDPN group, and seventy patients with non-painful DPN were selected as the DPN group. Patients were given monosialotetrahexosyl ganglioside sodium 40 mg dissolved in normal saline 250 ml intravenously once a day, and oral calcium dobesilate 0.5 g, twice per day in PDPN group. While patients were treated with methylcobalamin intravenous injection 0.5 mg per day for two weeks in the DPN group. VAS and serum NSE were evaluated before the treatment, and at 1 week, 2 weeks and 8 weeks of the treatment. Results (1) The serum level of NSE was significantly higher in PDPN group than that in DPN group[(16.9±6.6) vs. (10.2±4.4) µg/L](P 0.05). (3) Compared with pre-treatment, VAS and NSE were significantly and gradually decreased at 1, 2 and 8 weeks of the treatment (P<0.05). (4) There was a positive correlation between serum NSE value and VAS (R=0.801, P<0.05). Conclusion There is a positive correlation between the serum level of NSE and the degree of pain in patients with PDPN. Key words: Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy; Neuron-specific enolase; Pain