VIBRAMETER TESTING FACILITATES THE DIAGNOSIS OF UREMIC AND ALCOHOLIC POLYNEUROPATHY

The diagnostic sensitivity of Vibrameter and tuning fork examination t owards uremic and alcoholic neuropathy was tested in 75 patients. In 4 0 uremic and 35 alcoholic patients, we compared the sensitivity of neu rological examination, nerve conduction studies (NCS) and vibration th resholds assessed at the malleoli by means of Vibrameter and scaled tu ning fork. Vibrameter results were correlated with NCS. Polyneuropathy was diagnosed in 52 patients, but in 16 patients diagnosis depended u pon inclusion of Vibrameter testing in the examination protocol. In ur emic patients, Vibrameter (47.5%) showed abnormalities as often as NCS (45%), and more often than clinical (32.5%) or tuning fork examinatio n (2.5%). In alcoholic patients, Vibrameter revealed abnormalities mor e often (60%) than NCS (34.3%) or tuning fork (14.3%). Correlations be tween NCS and vibratory thresholds were low (-0.52 less than or equal to Rs less than or equal to -0.35). Vibrameter studies are far more se nsitive than tuning fork tests. The technique complements NCS and refi nes the diagnosis of uremic and alcoholic neuropathies.