PAIN-RELATED EVOKED POTENTIAL IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES TYPE 2

Abstract

Background: Small-fiber peripheral neuropathy (SFN) is one of common complications in diabetes. The utility of pain – related evoked potential (PREP) stimulated by concentric electrode in initial finding of diabetic small-fiber neuropathy was taken into investigation in this study. Methods: 50 healthy adults as well as 23 patients with diabetes type 2 without neuropathic symptoms and 27 patients with diabetes and neuropathic symptoms over 50 years old were included. All subjects were recorded PREP by Neuropack MEB-9400 S1 Series EMG/NCV/EP Measuring System. Results: After stimulation, nearly all subjects depicted a negative wave followed by a positive wave (73/100 subjects). Besides, 13 subjects showed a positive wave with two peaks, 3 subjects presented a unique positive wave and only one displayed a negative wave with two peaks. In patients without neuropathic symptoms, there were significant decreasing of PREP amplitudes and increasing of latencies elicited from lower limbs (latency: 221.6 ± 20.4 ms and amplitude: median 23.39 µV, p < 0.001). In neuro-symptomatic diabetic patients, there were abnormalities from both upper limbs (latency: 18.7 ± 30 ms and amplitude: median 23.35 µV, p < 0.001) and lower limbs (latency: 234.5 ± 20.8 ms and amplitude: median 16.63 µV, p < 0.001). Conclusion: These results submitted that the procedure of pain – related evoked potentials stimulated by concentric electrode may supply to early detection of diabetic small fiber neuropathy.