The relationship of one-leg standing time with peripheral nerve function and clinical neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at exploring physical fitness including postural stability in relation to peripheral nerve function and clinical neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes across a wide range of ages.

METHODS

We analyzed data collected from 139 patients with type 2 diabetes aged between 19 and 81 years, which included the peripheral nerve conduction parameters and coefficient of variation for normal R-R intervals (CVRR) at rest and during deep breathing. The results of neurological examinations to diagnose probable and confirmed diabetic neuropathies based on the minimal criteria proposed by the Toronto diabetic neuropathy expert group and a battery of physical fitness tests including one-leg standing time with eyes open were also assessed. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to estimate the relationships of the physical fitness measures with the parameters of peripheral and cardiac autonomic nerve functions and clinical neuropathies, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to depict the relation between sensitivity and specificity of one-leg standing time for probable and confirmed neuropathies.

RESULTS

After adjustment for age and other potential confounders, one-leg standing time correlated with peripheral and cardiac autonomic nerve functions as well as with probable and confirmed neuropathies. The one-leg standing time of 23 s was found to be 66 and 63% sensitive and 81 and 77% specific for diagnosing probable and confirmed neuropathies, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Short one-leg standing time was associated with peripheral and cardiac autonomic nerve dysfunction and clinical neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes, independent of age.