Vibration perception thresholds in 279 diabetic patients.

Generalised peripheral neuropathy is a well recognised complication of diabetes mellitus and early detection is important in order that morbidity can be reduced by interventional therapy at an early stage. Since nerve conduction studies are not a feasible option in a busy diabetic clinic, an alternative technique of detection, superior to clinical examination, is beneficial. In this study vibration perception thresholds were measured in 279 diabetic outpatients. Seventy-eight patients (28%) had abnormal results but only 35 (13%) had clinical evidence of neuropathy. While nerve conduction studies remain the most sensitive technique to detect nerve dysfunction, vibration perception threshold determination is a useful screening test to detect subclinical peripheral nerve dysfunction in a routine diabetic outpatient clinic.