title: Antidromic sensory nerve conduction study of the digital branches of the medial plantar nerve: a novel method to detect early diabetic sensory axonal polyneuropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Distal sensory neuropathy is the most common form of diabetic neuropathy. We developed a novel antidromic technique for assessment of distal nerve function for early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diabetic and control groups underwent standard and more distal sensory nerve conduction studies (NCS); sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs) of the proper digital branches of the medial plantar nerve were recorded with our method after stimulation at the sole and recording from digits I and II.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison between controls and diabetics showed a statistically significant difference in mean SNAP amplitudes for all nerves tested. A higher percentage of abnormal SNAPs was obtained with our technique than with either conventional or more distal NCS in all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As compared with clinical evaluation and other NCS, our antidromic stimulation was the most sensitive method to detect abnormal sensory nerve conduction in symptomatic and asymptomatic diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Neuroscience Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Piazzale Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Squintani
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zoppini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Donato
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pineschi
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Donini
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stoico
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moretto
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonora
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morini
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001703:Biophysics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003943:Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological / Q000592:standards*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: antidromic stimulation; diabetic axonal neuropathy; medial plantar nerve, near-nerve technique; proper digital branches