[Pattern shift visual evoked potentials in diabetes mellitus].

Functional exploration of the optic pathways with pattern shift visual evoked potentials (PSVEP) has been rapidly accepted as a non-invasive method of investigation of diabetics. For this article, we conducted the PSVEPs study on 46 cases of NIDDM and 13 cases of IDDM. The peak latency, interpeak latency and evoked amplitude of P100 were analyzed in each case. For further correlation, the motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities of the median nerve, blood sugar, serum HbA1c, and duration of DM were measured simultaneously. Two nondiabetic control groups which matched the age and sex of the NIDDM and IDDM groups were used for comparison. In the IDDM group, the results showed prolongation of all peak and interpeak latencies (IPL) except the peak latency of N75 on the right side. The P100 amplitude was reduced as compared with the age-matched young control group. The interocular P100 latency difference (ILD) was not statistically significant between the IDDM group and the age-matched control group. The results of the NIDDM group revealed prolongation of all peak latencies and IPLs. The P100 amplitude and ILD showed no statistically significant difference between NIDDM and the age-matched control group. The prolongation of N 75 peak latency exhibited a linear correlation with duration, HbA1c and median nerve SNCV.