Vesicourethral function in diabetic patients: Association of abnormal nerve conduction velocity with vesicourethral dysfunction

This study was undertaken to examine diabetic vesicourethral dysfunction in association with nerve conduction velocity. Uroflowmetry, water cystometry , International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and nerve conduction velocit y were analyzed in 29 diabetic patients (21 men and eight women; a mean age , 58.0 years). Nerve conduction velocity was measured for sensory nerve con duction velocity (SCV) of the sural nerve and motor nerve conduction veloci ty (MCV) of the peroneal nerve. Normal voiding was defined as continuous fl ow at the normal flow rate and residual urine <50 mt. Results of uroflowmet ry and cystometry were compared with those of nerve conduction velocity. El even of 29 patients (38%) had voiding dysfunction. A vesical denervation su persensitivity test was negative in all patients. The mean IPSS was not sig nificant different between patients with or without voiding dysfunction. In cidence of bladder volume at first desire to void >300 mt and maximum bladd er capacity >500 mt were significantly higher in patients with abnormal SCV than those with normal SCV (P < 0.03 and 0.001, respectively). Eleven of 1 6 patients with abnormal MCV showed voiding dysfunction, whereas all patien ts with normal MCV showed normal voiding (P < 0.001). These results suggest that lower urinary tract symptoms alone cannot predict diabetic vesicouret hral dysfunction and that diabetic vesicourethral dysfunction is highly cor related with abnormal nerve conduction velocity. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.