Objective To determine the prevalence of each risk category for diabetic foot ulcer by foot screening test with Semmes-Weinstein monofilament and to evaluate the correlation of the risk category with clinical data in diabetic inpatients. Method: Foot screening tests with Semmes-Weinstein monofilament was performed in 90 diabetic inpatients to determined the risk category for diabetic foot ulcer. An average age of patients was 55 years, and an average duration of the disease was 11 years. The correlation of risk category was evaluated with age, duration of the disease, FBS (fasting blood glucose) level, HbA1c value, and complications of diabetes including retinopathy, peripheral polyneuropathy, and renal failure. Results: Patients with risk category 0 had no loss of protective sensation in 34.4% of cases. Patients with risk category 1, 2, and 3 had loss of protective sensation in 16.7%, 28.9% and 20% of cases, respectively. The older a patient was and the longer the duration of the disease was, the higher the risk category was significantly (p<0.05). There was no significant correlation of risk category with FBS level and HbA1c value. Among the complications associated with diabetes, retinopathy and peripheral polyneuropathy significantly correlated with risk category (p<0.05), but renal failure was not significantly associated. Conclusion: The foot screening test with Semmes-Weinstein monofilament should be helpful for proper management of diabetic foot in inpatient. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2002; 26: 752-758)
Objective To assess the correlation between the risk categories of diabetic foot screening test by 5.07 Semmes- Weinstein monofilament and the findings of standard nerve conduction studies of upper and lower extremities. Method: We studied 74 patients who were consulted to our department to rule out the diabetic neuropathy. We classified the patients to 4 risk groups by foot screening test using 5.07 Sememes-Weinstein monofilament, and performed the standard nerve conduction studies of upper and lower extremities. The risk categories of foot screening tests were compared to the findings of the nerve conduction studies. Results: When the risk category becomes higher, there were more delay in latencies (motor and sensory potentials of median and ulnar nerve, sensory potentials of sural and superficial peroneal nerve, median and peroneal F-wave), slower conduction velocities (median, ulnar, peroneal, posterior tibial nerve) and lower amplitudes (motor and sensory potentials of media and ulnar nerve, peroneal and posterior tibial nerve, sural nerve) (p<0.05). Except for the amplitude of ulnar nerve and the latencies of peroneal and ulnar nerve, there were significant differences in the nerve conduction study data between the risk group 3 and the risk group 0 (p<0.05). Conclusion: We confirmed that the risk category of diabetic foot screening test by Semmes-Weinstein monofilament can meaningfully reflect the severity of diabetic neuropathy. We also suggest that it is necessary to pay attention to the nerve conduction study in the patients with history of foot ulcer. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2002; 26: 728-733)