| Summary: | The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing dramatically worldwide. As the
prevalence of diabetes increases, the prevalence of long-term diabetes-related complications
is also likely to increase. One of the long-term complications of diabetes mellitus in the lower
extremities is a diabetic foot ulcer. Diabetic foot ulcers can be prevented with the
identification and management of risk factors. One of the main risk factors underlying the
development of diabetic foot ulcers is neuropathy. H-reflex is electrodiagnostic studies that
can be used for the identification and diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy. But, H-reflex study in
patients with diabetic foot ulcers is still limited and there has been no study comparing
examination of the H-reflex in diabetic patients with diabetic foot ulcers and diabetic patients
without diabetic foot ulcers. This study used cross sectional design. The population of the
subject comprised of 35 diabetic patients with diabetic foot ulcers and 35 diabetic patients
without diabetic foot ulcers. H-reflex examination were done in both of group to obtain the
H-reflex parameters such as H latency, H amplitude, M latency and M amplitude.
Comparison of the H-reflex parameters showed statistically significant differences in all
parameters of the H-reflex including H latency, H amplitude, M latency and M amplitude
between diabetic patients with and without diabetic foot ulcers. The H Latency in diabetic
patients with diabetic foot ulcers is 122% of the normal value and 108% of normal value in
diabetic patients without diabetic foot ulcers. The H amplitude in diabetic patients with
diabetic foot ulcers was 28.3% of the normal value and 12,1 % of the normal value in
diabetic patients without diabetic foot ulcers. M Latency in diabetic patients with diabetic
foot ulcers is 113% of the normal value and 97% of the normal value in diabetic patients
without foot. The conclusion of this study are the H and M latency in patients with diabetic
foot ulcers were more prolonged than DM patients without ulcers. The H and M amplitude
were more decreased in diabetic patients with diabetic foot ulcers than without ulcer.
|
|---|