Blink reflex alterations in recently diagnosed diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of blink reflex alterations and to examine the influence of hyperglycemia in inducing the alterations in recently diagnosed Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was carried out on patients having asymptomatic diabetes with a period of evolution under 10 years. In all 47 patients (26 women and 21 men), serum glycemia levels were determined and the latency onset of the blink reflex components were measured.


RESULTS
The average patient age was 44.5+/-11.0 (mean+/-SD) years with a diabetes evolution period of 4.3+/-2.9 (mean+/-SD) years. After a fasting serum glucose test, the diabetic patients were catalogued as normoglycemic (< or =126 mg/dl) or as hyperglycemic (> 26 mg/dl) and subjected to a blink reflex test. The results obtained from the diabetic patients were compared with those from a non-diabetic control group. 14.8-31.9% of the diabetic patients showed alterations in blink reflex component latencies. The differences compared with the control group were significant (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Diabetes, as is well-known, can affect the central and peripheral nervous system and there does not appear to be a link between glycemic levels and blink reflex components. However, blink reflex alterations were present even in diabetic patients with a relatively short period of disease evolution.
Trujillo-Hernández
Benjamin
B
Unit of Clinical Epidemiology Research, Hospital General de Zona y Medicina Familiar No. 1, Col., Colima, Mexico. trujillobenjamin@hotmail.com
Huerta
Miguel
M
Pérez-Vargas
Daniel
D
Trujillo
Xóchitl
X
Vásquez
Clemente
C
D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time; D012016:Reference Values; D016683:Supine Position
D001786:Blood Glucose