title: Electrically evoked nociceptive potentials for early detection of diabetic small-fiber neuropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the utility of pain-related evoked potentials (PREP's) elicited by a nociceptive electrical stimulation of the skin (= electrically evoked nociceptive potentials) in early detection of diabetic small-fiber neuropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 36 'young' (19-35 years) and 24 'older' (36-65 years) healthy subjects as well as 35 patients (35-64 years) with diabetes and neuropathic symptoms and 22 patients (34-64 years) with diabetes without neuropathic symptoms. Only patients with normal standard nerve conduction testing were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients with neuropathic symptoms, we found a significant increase in PREP latencies and decrease of amplitudes elicited from both, upper and lower limbs. In non-symptomatic diabetic patients, we observed PREP abnormalities from lower limbs only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the method of pain-related evoked potentials elicited by a nociceptive electrical stimulation of the skin may contribute to the early detection of diabetic sensory neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany. daniel.mueller@uni-due.de
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Obermann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koeppen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kavuk
authors.forename: M-S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sack
authors.forename: H-C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Diener
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaube
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Katsarava
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004566:Electrodes; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation; D055815:Young Adult