Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Sciatic Nerve as a Surrogate Marker for Nerve Functionality of the Upper and Lower Limb in Patients With Diabetes and Prediabetes

• DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.642589
• Publication Date: 2021-03-03T06:04:26Z
• Authors: Johann M. E. Jende; Zoltan Kender; Christoph Mooshage; Jan B. Groener; Lucia Alvarez-Ramos; Jennifer Kollmer; Alexander Juerchott; Artur Hahn; Sabine Heiland; Peter Nawroth; Martin Bendszus; Stefan Kopf; Felix T. Kurz
• Keywords: Prediabetes; Magnetic resonance neurography; Tibial nerve; Diabetic Neuropathy

Nerve damage in diabetic neuropathy (DN) is assumed to begin the distal legs with a subsequent progression hands and arms at later stages. In contrast, recent studies have found that lower limb nerve lesions DN predominate proximal sciatic that, upper limb, functions can be impaired early stages of DN.In this prospective, single-center cross-sectional study, participants underwent diffusion-weighted 3 Tesla magnetic resonance neurography order calculate nerve's fractional anisotropy (FA), surrogate parameter for structural integrity. Results were correlated clinical electrophysiological assessments an examination hand function derived from Purdue Pegboard Test.Overall, 71 patients diabetes, 11 prediabetes 25 age-matched control subjects took part study. FA showed positive correlations tibial peroneal conduction velocities (r = 0.62; p < 0.001 r 0.56; 0.001, respectively), compound motor action potentials 0.63; respectively). Moreover, was Test results diabetes 0.52; 0.001), 0.76; 0.001) controls 0.79; 0.007).This study first show marker functional parameters both limbs prediabetes, suggesting these not restricted level symptomatic but rather affects entire peripheral nervous system.