Electrodiagnosis of subclinical diabetic neuropathies by nerve conduction studies remains challenging. The question arises about which nerves should be tested and what the best electrodiagnostic protocol to make an early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathies would be. On the basis of our findings and other evidence, which highlighted the remarkable prevalence of electrophysiological abnormalities in nerve conduction studies of the upper limbs, often in the presence of normal lower limb conduction parameters, we suggest that both ulnar and median nerves, in their motor and sensitive component, should be the two target nerves for electrodiagnostic protocols in diabetic neuropathies.
Keywords: Carpal tunnel syndrome; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic neuropathy; Median entrapment neuropathy; Polyneuropathy; Ulnar entrapment neuropathy.
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