title: Spinal-cord involvement in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
abstract: The pathogenesis of diabetic distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSP) is poorly understood but there is some evidence that the disease process might extend beyond peripheral nerves. We used magnetic-resonance imaging to measure spinal-cord cross-sectional area in diabetic patients with and without DSP and in healthy controls. There were significant differences in cord area between the groups at C4/5 and T3/4 (p=0.004 and p=0.033, respectively), with a smaller cord area in those with DSP compared with controls (p=0.001 and p=0.016 for C4/5 and T3/4, respectively). These results indicate that DSP is not simply a disease of the peripheral nerve and that there is substantial involvement of the spinal cord.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rajbhandari
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tesfaye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012016:Reference Values; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*