The evaluation of peripheral neural function with nerve stimulation tests as electrophysiologic in iron deficiency anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is not known about effect to the membrane polarisation, ion channel functions and peripheral nerve paranodal/internodal conditions. We aimed to evaluate the effect of iron deficiency anemia on peripheral nerve system that is associated with iron and ischemia with nerve stimulation tests not to be invasive as electrophysiologic. The study was performed on 32 patients making an application to Izzet Baysal Medical Faculty Haematology polyclinic, not suitable for oral iron treatment, not a pathological condition disrupting for peripheral nerve functions in history and not a peripheral neuropathy with total of 22 moderate iron deficieny anemia (69%) and total of 10 serious iron deficiency anemia (31%). Parenteral iron treatment was administered by calculating iron deficiency. Nerve stimulation tests were performed with EMG bazal, after parenteral iron treatment and recovery of anemia. Median nerve motor and sensorial strength-duration/time constant, rheobase, sensorial supernormality at 8 millisecond (ms) and motor supernormality at 10 ms values were recorded. Significant difference was detected in sensorial supernormality tests but other nerve stimulation tests was not detected significantly difference in this study population. It has been thought that significant recovery of low supernormality values after improving of anemia was connected with the effect of ischemia on peripheral sensorial paranodal potassium (K) channels instead of iron.As a result, the significant low level of sensorial supernormality in peripheral nerves can be connected with K channel abnormality in iron deficiency anemia. This condition can explain their complains such as abnormal sensation and dysesthesia in their extremities.