IS THERE A CORRELATION BETWEEN CARDIAC SYMPATHETIC NEUROPATHY OR DIABETIC SOMATIC NEUROPATHY AND GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN OR BLOOD-PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

The possibility that glycosylated haemoglobin levels and/or blood pres sure might correlate with cardiac sympathetic neuropathy and/or diabet ic somatic neuropathy was investigated in patients with non-insulin-de pendent diabetes mellitus. Sympathetic nerve function was quantified b y analysis of [I-123]metaiodobenzylguanidine accumulation in the cardi ac muscle. Somatic nerve function was assessed by measuring the motor nerve conduction velocities of the peroneal and tibial nerves, and the sensory nerve conduction velocity of the sural nerve. None of the par ameters of cardiac sympathetic neuropathy or diabetic somatic neuropat hy showed any correlation with blood pressure, nor was there any evide nce of a correlation between cardiac sympathetic neuropathy and glycos ylated haemoglobin levels; there was, however, a significant correlati on between diabetic somatic neuropathy (as indicated by tibial nerve c onduction velocity) and glycosylated haemoglobin levels. The results a re consistent with the view that different mechanisms are involved in the two types of neuropathies.