Objective: To study the relationship between TCM syndrome type and electrophysiological changes of nerves in patients with peripheral diabetic neuropathy (PDN).
Methods: TCM syndrome differentiation of 87 patients with PDN were performed, and the sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV) of common peroneal nerve and the motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) of sural nerve were measured as well using surface electrodes.
Results: Patients of yang-deficiency type showed the slowest MCV and SCV as well as the lowest compound muscular action potential (CMAP) and sensory nerve action potential (SNAP), with significant difference as compared with those in patients of qi-insufficiency type, heat type, and dampness type, respectively; also significant slower MCV and SCV and lower SNAP than those in patients with blood stasis type. Besides, the SCV and SNAP level in patients with yang-deficiency type were lower as compared with those in patients with yin-deficiency type (all P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Obvious changes of MCV and SCV could be found in PDN patients of TCM yang-deficiency syndrome, so the abnormal velocity of nerve conduction could be taken as a referential index for diagnosis of patients belonging to that type.