Motor nerve conduction velocity in diabetes.

Abstract

<h3>Introduction</h3> Involvement of the peripheral nervous system in diabetes is well known to internists and neurologists. The relation of the neuropathy to the severity, duration, and control of the diabetes is not consistent, and variations in the clinical picture have led to multiple classifications. Polyneuropathy, with minimal motor weakness, impaired stretch reflex, and fading sensory loss of peripheral distribution, proves no problem in diagnosis. Often, however, the subjective phenomena exceed the ability of the clinician to demonstrate an objective counterpart. The ease of determination of sensory or motor nerve conduction velocity on a clinical basis provides an objective method for evaluation of physiological change in nerves. Large groups of patients may be studied and contrasted by this technique, and single patients may be observed over periods of time for evidence of objective change in the peripheral nervous system. This study was undertaken to obtain information about changes in motor nerve