抄録
For a study on pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy, sensory function was evaluated in 73 cases with diabetes mellitus, and its correlation with various factors in diabetic patients was statistically investigated in order to disclose significant factors in development of neuropathy. For the evaluation of sensory function, ischemic blocking test (Lewis, 1931) in the upper arm was applied and threshold of onset of ischemic paresthesia (“I. P.”) and time till loss of tactile sensation by cotton wool (“T. L.”) in the index were recorded.
Frequency of abnormal findings in both “I. P.” and “T. L.” was significantly related to those factors as age, severity of diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerotic finding in the retina and serum cholesterol, and also significant correlation of “T. L.” with sex, duration of diabetes mellitus and diabetic change in the retina was noticed.
There was no significant difference in frequency of sensory dysfunction between two groups, the one which consists of cases of severe diabetes mellitus with normal or mild finding in the retina and the other which consists of cases of mild diabetes mellitus with severe arteriosclerotic finding in the retina, however, the fact that more than half cases of the former group showed sensory dysfunction in the ischemic blocking test, suggests metabolic or toxic factor certainly plays important role in the production of the diabetic neuropathy.
Finally, it was suggested that metabolic or toxic agent might cause the diabetic neuropathy as primary factor, on which vascular insufficiency due to arteriosclerosis or diabetic angiopathy and senile degeneration of the nerve fiber would superimpose lesions in the peripheral nerves.
