[Velocity of nerve conduction in children and adolescents with type I diabetes mellitus: clinical, metabolic and immunologic correlations].

Clinical, metabolic, neurophysiologic and immunological data were obtained in a group of 50 patients with type I diabetes mellitus Results were compared with those obtained in 30 healthy subjects of comparable age. M.N.C. (median nerve conduction) velocities and sensitive latency were observed to be significant lower in the diabetic patients rather than in the controls. These abnormalities were correlated with the duration of diabetes rather than with the glucose control. The positivity for circulating immune complexes was found to be associated with a significant reduction of median sensory nerve conduction velocity. There results suggest that in addition to metabolic, genetic, vascular and hormonal abnormalities also immunologic factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy.