The electrophysiological study of lateral and medial branches of nervus radialis superficialis

Type 2 DM is an alarming global health problem which affects more than 220 million people worlwide. Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most common microvascular complication of diabetes and studies has been continuing to determine the most sensitive method for the diagnosis of diabetic polyneuropathy. In this study; we aimed to determine whether there are differences by evaluating the electophysiology of lateral and medial branches of superficial radial nerve which has been defined recently between normal healthy subjects and DM patients and it can be used in early diagnosis of patients who will develop possible diabetic polyneuropathy. For this purpose, 26 DM patients and 26 normal healthy individuals who don't have DM or any other neuropathy were included in the study. While sural nerve conduction couldn't be obtained in 8 data (4 patients), radial nerve conduction couldn't be obtained in 1 data (1 patient) and conductions of lateral and medial branches of NRS weren't obtained in 4 data (2 patients). This situation is meaningful because it demonstrates sural nerve is affected before other nerves. When 2 sided sural/radial main trunk ratio was compared with patient and control groups, statistically significant difference was found; this shows that in DM radial nerve is as affected as sural nerve and in the end the ratio hasn't changed. Also the measurement of lateral and medial branches of sural/radial nerve is significantly different between cases and controls; and this shows that the measurement of lateral and medial branches of radial nerve is a sensitive method for the detection of PNP. Consequently, sural nerve conduction values which are accepted as the most sensitive method in the diagnosis of diabetic PNP by many neurologists in the literature were also the first affected nerve in our study; but it was also found in our study that conduction values of NRS which is an upper extremity sensory nerve can be used in following the prognosis especially in the advanced stage of the disease. However, comprehensive studies should be conducted in order to determine the op-timum conduction values of NRS and its branches which can be used in DM diagnosis and follow-up. Key words: diabetes mellitus, neuropathic pain, superficial radial nerve