RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CARDIOSYMPATHETIC NEUROPATHY AND DIABETIC SOMATIC NEUROPATHY IN PATIENTS WITH NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

The possibility of a relationship between diabetic somatic neuropathy and cardiosympathetic neuropathy was investigated in 103 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Cardiosympathetic nerve func tion was assessed by myocardial scintigraphy. The severity of diabetic somatic neuropathy was determined by measuring the motor conduction v elocities of the peroneal and tibial nerves and the sensory conduction velocity of the sural nerve. Analysis of the results did not show any correlations between the measures of cardiosympathetic nerve function and the measures of diabetic somatic neuropathy. The results indicate that diabetic somatic neuropathy and cardiomyosympathetic neuropathy develop independently in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.