International Journal of Physiology
  • Year: 2018
  • Volume: 6
  • Issue: 3

Diagnostic Value of Vibration Perception Threshold in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

1Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Annapoorana Medical College and Hospital, Salem

2Professor, Department of Physiology, M S Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore

3Associate Professor, Department of Endocrinology, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bangalore

4Professor, Department of Neurology, M S Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore

*Corresponding author: Dr Bharathi C, MD Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Annapoorana Medical College and Hospital, Salem. Email id: bharathi_sathis@yahoo.in Contact number: 9791896970

Online published on 16 July, 2018.

Abstract

To validate the discriminative power of Vibration Perception Threshold (VPT) considering Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) as gold standard in type 2 diabetes mellitus in the diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Thirty patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and thirty subjects who are age, sex and BMI matched normal controls were tested with Vibration Perception Threshold and Nerve Conduction Studies; mean ± SD of the characteristics were calculated.

Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for the Vibration Perception Threshold was calculated, considering Nerve Conduction Studies as gold standard.

The positive and negative predictive values were calculated to be 84% and 74.29% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of VPT was found to be70% and 86.6% respectively.

Vibration Perception threshold has shown positive correlation with NCS in the evaluation of peripheral neuropathy in diabetes. It may be a better screening tool due to simple procedure and cheaper in cost.

Keywords

Nerve conduction studies, Vibration perception threshold, sensitivity, specificity