Dept. of Neurology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø and University Hospital of North Norway, 9038, Tromsø, Norway. sissel.loseth@unn.no
OBJECTIVES : To determine whether neuropathy in diabetic patients with normal nerve conduction studies could be detected by measurements of thermal thresholds and quantification of intraepidermal nerve fibre (IENF) density, and to evaluate differences in parameters between patients with and without neuropathic symptoms. METHODS : A total of 22 patients with and 37 patients without sensory symptoms suggesting distal neuropathy were included. Measurements of warm and cold perception thresholds and skin biopsy for quantification of IENFs were performed distally on the leg. Reference data were used to normalize test results for age and height or gender of individual patients by calculating the Z-scores. RESULTS : IENF density was significantly reduced in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients compared to controls (p