Effects of physical therapy on electrodiagnostic parameters and quality of life of patients with distal symmetric sensorimotor diabetic polyneuropathy

Abstract

Objective. To determine effects of physical therapy on electrodiagnostic parameters of peroneal and sural nerves (conduction velocity, latency, amplitude) and on the quality of life of patients with distal symmetric sensorimotor diabetic polyneuropathy (DSPN). Methods. The clinical study included 30 subjects who suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus and who had been diagnosed with DSPN based on clinical symptoms, signs and parameters of the nerve conduction study. Each of those 30 patients was treated with the identical combination of physical agents: pulsed electromagnetic field and kinesitherapy. Physical therapy was conducted within three ten-days cycles (five days a week), with a two-month break between the cycles. At the time of admission and after the end of the third series of therapy, an analysis of the following parameters was conducted: European EuroQol (EQ-5D) test and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ). Results. After completion of all three series of physical therapy statistics indicated a significant increase of conduction velocity of the left peroneal nerve (p=0.027) and the sural nerve - both sides (right p=0.0063, left p=0.005). There was a significant reduction of latency for peroneal in both sides (right p=0.003; left p=0006). Analysis of these results indicated statistically notably high reduction of pain sensations/nuisance (p<0.001) and highly significant reduction of worry/depression after physical procedures (p<0.001). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant increase in EQ-VAS values after physical procedures (p<0.001). Conclusion. The results attained in this research encourage further use of physical therapy agents in treatment of sensorimotor diabetic polyneuropathy.