F-wave and H-reflex alterations in recently diagnosed diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the frequency of F-wave and H-reflex alterations in recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and to determine if the alterations are dependent on the levels of glycemia.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was carried out on 50 asymptomatic patients, with a mean age of 45.4 +/- 9.8 years and a disease evolution of less than 10 years. Patients were classified as either normoglycemic (7 mmol/L; n = 20) or hyperglycemic (7 mmol/L; n = 30). H-reflex (HR), F-wave (FW), and nerve-conduction measurements (NCM) between the diabetic and non-diabetic (control) groups were compared.


RESULTS
The H-reflex was absent in 22% of the patients, while the M-component of this reflex was altered in 58% of patients. The F-wave was altered in 12% of the patients. The motor nerve compound action potential showed a diminution in amplitude (26% of patients, n = 13), area (32%, n = 16), and conduction velocity (20%, n = 10). No positive correlation between glycemia levels and the above alterations was found.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that asymptomatic diabetic patients showed a high incidence of subclinical neurophysiological abnormalities.
Trujillo-Hernández
Benjamín
B
Unit of Clinical Epidemiology Research, Hospital General de Zona y Medicina Familiar No. 1, IMSS, Colima, Col., México. trujillobenjamin@hotmail.com
Huerta
Miguel
M
Trujillo
Xóchitl
X
Vásquez
Clemente
C
Pérez-Vargas
Daniel
D
Millán-Guerrero
Rebeca O
RO
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000209:etiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006181:H-Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects