Summary
Glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb) levels were measured in 36 patients with established symptomatic neuropathy and in an identical number of matched controls. Strict criteria were employed in the selection of subjects and all had neuropathy of at least 12 months’ duration. The diagnosis of neuropathy was supported by estimation of motor conduction velocities and vibration perception threshold. A semi-automated colorimetric technique, employing the reaction between thiobarbituric acid and 5-hydroxy-methyl furfural, was used for the estimation of GHb. Those patients with neuropathy had significantly higher GHb levels (58.2 ± 11.3 mmol HMF/mol Hb) than the controls (50.0 ± 8.9 mmol HMF/mol Hb) (p<0.01). This suggests that hyperglycemia or related metabolic abnormalities are important factors in established symptomatic neuropathy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boulton A. J. M., Drury J., Clarke B., Ward J. D.: Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion in the management of painful diabetic neuropathy — Diabetes Care5, 386, 1982.
Ellenberg M.: Diabetic neuropathy: a consideration of factors in onset — Ann. intern. Med.52, 1067, 1960.
Fluckiger R., Winterhalter K. M.:In vitro synthesis of haemoglobin A1c — FEBS Letters71, 356, 1976.
Fry I. K., Hardwick C., Scott G. W.: Diabetic neuropathy: a survey and follow-up of 66 cases — Guy’s Hosp. Rep.11, 113, 1962.
Greene D. A., Brown M. J., Braunstein S. N., Schwartz S. S., Asbury A. K., Winegrad A. I.: Comparison of clinical course and sequential electrophysiological tests in diabetics with symptomatic polyneuropathy and its implications for clinical trials — Diabetes30, 139, 1981.
McCann V. J., Davis R. E.: Glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations in patients with diabetic neuropathy — Acta diabet. lat.16, 205, 1979.
Molnar G. D., Marien G. J., Hunter A. N., Harley C. H.: Methods of assessing diabetic control — Diabetologia17, 5, 1979.
Pietri A., Ehle A. L., Raskin P.: Changes in nerve conduction velocity after six weeks of glucoregulation with portable insulin infusion pumps — Diabetes29, 668, 1980.
Pirart J.: Diabetes mellitus and its degenerative complications: a prospective study of 4,400 patients observed between 1947 and 1973 — Diabetes Care1, 168 and 252, 1978.
Porte D. Jr., Graf R. J., Halter J. B., Pfeifer M. A., Halar E.: Diabetic neuropathy and plasma glucose control — Amer. J. Med.70, 195, 1981.
Skyler J.: Complications of diabetes mellitus: relationship to metabolic dysfunction — Diabetes Care2, 499, 1979.
Svendsen P. Aa., Christiansen J. S., Søegaard U., Welinder B. S., Nerup J.: Rapid changes in chromatographically determined haemoglobin A1c induced by short-term changes in glucose concentration — Diabetologia19, 130, 1980.
Thomas P. K., Ward J. D.: Diabetic neuropathy. In:Keen H., Jarrett R. J. (Eds): Complications of Diabetes. Edward Arnold, London, 1975; p. 151.
Ward J. D., Fisher D. J., Barnes C. G., Jessop J. D., Baker R. W. R.: Improvement in nerve conduction following treatment in newly diagnosed diabetics — Lanceti, 428, 1971.
Worth R. C., Ashworth L. A., Burrin J. M., Johnston D. G., Skillen A. W., Anderson J., Alberti K. G. M. M.: Column assay of haemoglobin A1: critical effect of temperature — Clin. chim. Acta104, 401, 1980.
Yao J. S. T., Hobbs J. T., Irvine W. T.: Ankle systolic pressure measurement in arterial disease affecting the lower extremities — Brit. J. Surg.56, 676, 1969.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Boulton, A.J.M., Hardisty, C.A., Worth, R.C. et al. Elevated glycosylated hemoglobin in diabetic neuropathy. Acta diabet. lat 19, 345–349 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02629257
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02629257