Objective: This project evaluated the utility of quantitative sensory techniques in predicting the development of neuropathy for subjects participating in a prospective study.
Research design and methods: Distal symmetric polyneuropathy was evaluated in 77 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus individuals via quantitative sensory testing, nerve conduction studies, and clinical examination.
Results: Although the specificity and positive predictive value were low for the quantitative sensory techniques as predictors of neuropathy diagnosed on clinical exam approximately 2 yr later, the sensitivity for vibratory thresholds was high (100%). Variability over the 2-yr interval was shown on follow-up testing for each of the objective assessment modalities and it was not explained by differences for potential risk factors measured at baseline.
Conclusion: Despite a cross-sectional relationship between the assessment modalities and clinically overt neuropathy at baseline, these follow-up data suggest that the potential for the objective modalities as predictors of clinically diagnosed neuropathy may be limited.