Evaluation of neurophysiological parameters and good metabolic control in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Numerous authors have indicated the beneficial effect of glycoregulation on micro- and macro-angiopathic complications. The aim of the study was to examine whether intensive treatment with maintaining blood glucose concentrations close to normal range could improve electrophysiological parameters. The study involved 81 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus type 1 randomly assigned to intensive insulin therapy. The patients were followed for a period of 3 months by metabolic and electrophysiological control. The metabolic control included daily measurement of concentration of blood glucose and HbA1c and lipid status, while the neurophysiological control included nerve conduction velocity (NCV) of median, peroneal, tibial and sural nerve and latency of F wave. In the beginning of our study blood glucose was 9.10 +/- 3.69 mmol/l and HbA1c 8.12 +/- 1.20%. After 3 months of administered intensive insulin therapy, blood glucose was 7.88 +/- 2.79 mmol/l and HbA1c 6.63 +/- 1.33. After 3 months NCV improved in the tibial, median and sural nerve (p < 0.05) and latency of F wave. We found a significant association between the metabolic control and NCV findings which suggests that good metabolic control influences the improvement of neurophysiological parameters in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.