Nerve conduction impairment in patients with respiratory insufficiency and severe chronic hypoxemia.

Sixteen patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency and severe hypoxemia were studied to determine the effect of chronic respiratory insufficiency on peripheral sensory and motor nerve conduction. When matched with a control group, a statistically significant slowing (from p less than 0.02 to p less than 0.001) of nerve conduction was noted in the motor median, ulnar peroneal, and tibial nerves and also in the sensory median nerve. The peripheral neuropathy was probably due to chronic hypoxemia.