The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the value of peripheral nerve conduction study in diagnosing diabetic neuropathy and the relationship between diabetic neuropathy and age, duration of diabetic mellitus, presence of other complications, and fasting blood sugar.

The subjects of this study were 289 cases with diabetic mellitus aged 17 to 76 years old who were admitted to Severance Hospital, Yonsei University and received electrodiagnostic examination from January 1, 1980 to April 30, 1985.

The summary of results is as follows:

1) Of the total 289 cases, 155 were male and 134 were female with a male to female ratio of 1.16:1.

2) Nerve conduction study revealed abnormal findings in 123 cases(42.6%).

Mean duration of diabetes millitus was 6.95 years in the neuropathy group and 5.10 years in the non-neuropathy group.

3) Diabetic neuropathy significantly increased with increasing age in the 30 years and older group, and wish increasing duration of diabetes mellitus in all age groups.

There was also a significantly higher frequency of diabetic neuropathy in groups with positive clinical signs and symptoms, and in cases with complications.

4) The most frequently involved sensory nerve was the superficial peroneal nerve. Asfor the motor nerve, the tibial and median nerves were involved equally.

In the electrodiagnostic study, 55.2% of the clinically symptomatic cases and 34.1% of the non-symptomatic cases showed abnormality, indicating considerable discrepancy between the clinical symptoms and the electrophysiologic study results.

5) Negative correlation was noted between fasting blood sugar, duration of diabetes mellitus and motor nerve conduction velocities; however, correlation coefficients were statistically nonsignificant.

According to these results, factors associated significantly with diabetic neuropathy were increasing age, long duration of diabetes mellitus, presence of symptoms, positive physical findings and complications.

Objective nerve function measurement by electrodiagnostic examination seems to be a practical method for early detection of diabetic neuropathy.