title: Structure-function relationships within peripheral nerves in diabetic neuropathy: the hydration hypothesis.
abstract: To define the quantitative relationship between peripheral nerve structure and function imposed by endoneurial oedema in the diabetic state, we determined values for sural nerve hydration structure as measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and for neurological function with scores for nerve conduction properties (NCV-score), neuropathic symptoms (NS-score), and examination signs (NE-score). The coefficient of sural nerve hydration was elevated to 30 +/- 6% (p < 0.05) in 79 symptomatic neuropathic diabetic subjects with an average of 15 years of diabetes mellitus, compared to a value of 25 +/- 3% in 72 non-diabetic control subjects. In contrast, in 75 asymptomatic diabetic subjects with an average of 6 additional years of diabetes, the mean hydration coefficient was only 28 +/- 5% (p < 0.05). A nerve hyperhydration state was identified with a prevalence of 25% within the asymptomatic group characterized by nerve hydration greater than the 95th percentile, early changes in nerve electrophysiology and neurological examination, but with no symptomatology of neuropathy. Stratification of the symptomatic neuropathic group by worsening nerve electrophysiology, demonstrates a coincident deterioration in neurological examination (RR = 5.39 at maximum NCV-score), and neuropathy symptomatology (RR = 4.80 at maximum NE-score). The present data are consistent with the hypothesis that endoneurial oedema initiates deterioration sequentially in nerve electrophysiology, followed by abnormal findings on neurological examination, preceding the patient's final perception of symptomatic stocking glove peripheral diabetic neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Albuquerque 87131, USA.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qualls
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bicknell
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Sibbitt
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Griffey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004487:Edema; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance