Nerve conduction velocity is negatively associated with intima-media thickness and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies suggest that the presence of diabetic peripheral polyneuropathy (DPN) is associated with atherosclerotic diseases; however, little is known about the relationship between diabetic nerve conduction velocity (NCV) versus arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis parameters. METHODS: The subjects in this study were 292 men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). All subjects underwent NCV examination at median and tibial nerves as motor nerve (MCV) as well as median and sural nerves as sensory nerve (SCV). Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were evaluated as arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis parameters. RESULTS: Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed that NCV at all sites negatively correlated with baPWV, maximal and mean IMT (IMT-Max and IMT-Mean), and plaque score (all p values p<0.01 at least). Multiple regression analyses adjusted for confounding factors such as age, duration of diabetes, body mass index, HbA1c, fasting C-peptide, systolic blood pressure, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and albuminuria showed that the association of NCV with IMT-Max, ITM-Mean, and plaque score remained significant (all p values p<0.05 at least) except that between SCV at median and IMT-Max. Moreover, SCV at median (forearm) and sural were significantly associated with baPWV (p = 0.023 and p = 0.027, respectively). CONCLUSION: The present study showed that DPN estimated by quantitative NCV is linearly associated with the deterioration of arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis parameters in T2DM independently of various diabetic and atherosclerotic factors.