Peripheral neuropathy in juvenile diabetes mellitus
Ramji, S.; Khandpur, S.C.
Indian Pediatrics 23(4): 259-262
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 3744495 Document Number: 269858
In order to study the pattern of peripheral neuropathy in childhood diabetes, median motor and peroneal motor conduction velocities were recorded in 18 unselected diabetic children and 25 healthy controls. The influence of age at onset, duration and diabetic control on motor conduction velocities were analysed. Four diabetic children (22.2%) had objective signs of neuropathy. Peroneal nerve was the commonest nerve to be affected in diabetic children. Sixteen diabetic children (88.8%) had a value > 2 SD below the mean normal value (56.3 m/sec) in the peroneal nerve and 10 children (55.5%) had a value > 2 SD below the mean normal value (57.7 m/sec) in the median nerve. Age at onset beyond 8 years, duration over 5 years and poor diabetic control were observed to decrease peroneal motor conduction values significantly. In five diabetic children subjected to sural nerve biopsy, varying degrees of vacuolation and myelin degeneration were observed. Motor conduction velocity determination in the peroneal nerve can be used both in revealing and following the abnormality in peripheral nerve function in diabetic children.