Comparison of nerve conduction studies and f-waves in the diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a difference in sensitivity in the diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and subclinical neuropathy between routine nerve conduction studies and F-waves examined with different numbers of stimuli in patients with diabetes mellitus. Material and Methods: In the study, eighty patients with diabetes mellitus (forty of them had symptoms of peripheral neuropathy) and forty healthy volunteers as control group were included. Those with peripheral neuropathy symptoms were included in the symptomatic group, and those without peripheral neuropathy symptoms were included in asymptomatic group. All participants underwent routine nerve conduction study. Results: According to the results of F minimum, F mean and F maximum which were obtained with both 10 consecutive stimuli and 30 consecutive stimuli, there was a statistically significant difference between the symptomatic group and the control group as well as between the asymptomatic group and the control group (p<0.05). In F chronodispersion studies, there was no difference between groups at 10 consecutive stimuli and 30 consecutive stimuli (p > 0.05). Discussion: F minimum, F mean, F maximum tests were more sensitive than routine nerve conduction study in detecting asymptomatic diabetic peripheral neuropathies. The results of the tests with 10 and 30 stimuli were similar. F chronodispersion was found to be insensitive in the diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and subclinical neuropathies.