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Temporal trend of small nerve fibre degeneration in people with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus

Ekman, Linnéa LU orcid ; Pourhamidi, Kaveh ; Englund, Elisabet LU orcid ; Lagali, Neil ; Rolandsson, Olov and Dahlin, Lars B. LU orcid (2022) In Diabetic Medicine 39(3).
Abstract

Aims: We investigated the long-term temporal trend of intraepidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD) and the association between changes in IENFD and metabolic factors in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes. Methods: A total of 66 participants were enrolled in this longitudinal population-based study, at baseline consisting of 35 individuals (median 61 years) without diabetes and 31 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Participants underwent clinical and electrophysiological examinations, as well as a skin biopsy both at baseline and at the follow-up visit (mean 8.1 ± 0.5 years). IENFD was assessed in thin sections of 5 μm, stained with the protein gene product 9.5-antibody and compared between the groups. Results: IENFD... (More)

Aims: We investigated the long-term temporal trend of intraepidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD) and the association between changes in IENFD and metabolic factors in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes. Methods: A total of 66 participants were enrolled in this longitudinal population-based study, at baseline consisting of 35 individuals (median 61 years) without diabetes and 31 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Participants underwent clinical and electrophysiological examinations, as well as a skin biopsy both at baseline and at the follow-up visit (mean 8.1 ± 0.5 years). IENFD was assessed in thin sections of 5 μm, stained with the protein gene product 9.5-antibody and compared between the groups. Results: IENFD decreased during the period in both groups, with a greater decline in the group without diabetes than in type 2 diabetes (−2.3 and −0.6 fibres/mm respectively; p < 0.001). While IENFD at baseline was significantly reduced in type 2 diabetes relative to people without (p < 0.001), no difference in IENFD was found between groups at the follow-up (p = 0.183). Linear mixed model analysis indicated that age, weight and HbA1c were associated with decrease in IENFD in the total population (p < 0.007). IENFD also decreased with increasing age and weight, but not with HbA1c, in the separate groups (p < 0.049). Conclusions: Despite lower IENFD levels at baseline in type 2 diabetes, IENFD was equal between the groups at follow-up. A decrease in IENFD is to a limited extent affected by body weight, and HbA1c, but age seems to be the long-term determinant of IENFD in an elderly population.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
diabetes mellitus, intraepidermal nerve fibre density, longitudinal study, peripheral neuropathy, skin biopsy
in
Diabetic Medicine
volume
39
issue
3
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:34536243
  • scopus:85115346745
ISSN
0742-3071
DOI
10.1111/dme.14691
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
be9d8cdc-5c8a-46ae-a549-fb52a0afb32e
date added to LUP
2021-10-04 15:00:57
date last changed
2024-04-06 09:57:29
@article{be9d8cdc-5c8a-46ae-a549-fb52a0afb32e,
  abstract     = {{<p>Aims: We investigated the long-term temporal trend of intraepidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD) and the association between changes in IENFD and metabolic factors in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes. Methods: A total of 66 participants were enrolled in this longitudinal population-based study, at baseline consisting of 35 individuals (median 61 years) without diabetes and 31 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Participants underwent clinical and electrophysiological examinations, as well as a skin biopsy both at baseline and at the follow-up visit (mean 8.1 ± 0.5 years). IENFD was assessed in thin sections of 5 μm, stained with the protein gene product 9.5-antibody and compared between the groups. Results: IENFD decreased during the period in both groups, with a greater decline in the group without diabetes than in type 2 diabetes (−2.3 and −0.6 fibres/mm respectively; p &lt; 0.001). While IENFD at baseline was significantly reduced in type 2 diabetes relative to people without (p &lt; 0.001), no difference in IENFD was found between groups at the follow-up (p = 0.183). Linear mixed model analysis indicated that age, weight and HbA<sub>1c</sub> were associated with decrease in IENFD in the total population (p &lt; 0.007). IENFD also decreased with increasing age and weight, but not with HbA<sub>1c</sub>, in the separate groups (p &lt; 0.049). Conclusions: Despite lower IENFD levels at baseline in type 2 diabetes, IENFD was equal between the groups at follow-up. A decrease in IENFD is to a limited extent affected by body weight, and HbA<sub>1c</sub>, but age seems to be the long-term determinant of IENFD in an elderly population.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ekman, Linnéa and Pourhamidi, Kaveh and Englund, Elisabet and Lagali, Neil and Rolandsson, Olov and Dahlin, Lars B.}},
  issn         = {{0742-3071}},
  keywords     = {{diabetes mellitus; intraepidermal nerve fibre density; longitudinal study; peripheral neuropathy; skin biopsy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Diabetic Medicine}},
  title        = {{Temporal trend of small nerve fibre degeneration in people with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/dme.14691}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/dme.14691}},
  volume       = {{39}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}