Of the complications of diabetes, peripheral neuropathy occurs relatively early and at a high frequency, and circulatory problems in the lower extremities are largely involved in its onset. We compared blood-flow waveform patterns in the dorsal artery of the foot using motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) in the deep fibular nerve. A group with no peripheral neuropathy had a significant type I blood-flow waveform pattern while type III and IV blood-flow waveform patterns indicating atherosclerotic changes were not noted. A group with peripheral neuropathy, however, often had patterns from type II to type III, and type IV waveforms indicating the artery was almost occluded were noted in 14% of the group. In the group with no peripheral neuropathy, R-PV was a mean of 0.14±0.03 m/s while in the group with peripheral neuropathy it was a mean of 0.04±0.02 m/s; a significant difference (p<0.05) was noted, and the level was clearly lower in the group with peripheral neuropathy. Blood-flow waveform patterns past type II and a drop in R-PV are considered to be an indicator of peripheral neuropathy in diabetics, and peripheral neuropathy may be assumed on the basis of lower extremity blood-flow waveform patterns as well.

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