Pitei D L, Watkins P J, Stevens M J, Edmonds M E
Department of Diabetes, King's College Hospital, London, UK.
Diabet Med. 1994 Nov;11(9):872-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.1994.tb00371.x.
The Neurometer is a relatively new device for assessing neuropathy by measuring current perception threshold (CPT). The study aim was to assess the ability of the Neurometer to distinguish between different types of nerve fibre damage by using different frequencies (2000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz) of electric stimulus (high frequencies for large fibres and low frequencies for small fibres) and comparing the results with standard sensory tests of vibration perception threshold (VPT) and thermal perception threshold (TPT). CPT was determined on index finger and great toe of 51 patients with diabetic neuropathy and 28 non-diabetic control subjects, age and sex matched. CPT in neuropathic patients could be distinguished from controls at all three frequencies in both feet and hands (p < 0.05). The best correlation was found between CPT at 2000 Hz and VPT (r = 0.48, p < 0.001) in the feet suggesting a degree of neuroselectivity. Internal correlations between CPT at the three frequencies showed the weakest correlation between CPT at 2000 Hz and 5 Hz (r = 0.27, p < 0.005), suggesting also that possibly different types of fibres were examined. CPT reproducibility was better in control (CV = 6.4-27.7%), than in neuropathic subjects (CV = 28.4-52.3%), although the coefficient of variation was comparable to that of standard tests of sensory function, VPT and TPT. The Neurometer is a simple instrument to use in clinical practice. It has a degree of neuroselectivity but like all subjective sensory tests has a large variability.
神经测量仪是一种通过测量电流感知阈值（CPT）来评估神经病变的相对较新的设备。该研究的目的是通过使用不同频率（2000赫兹、250赫兹和5赫兹）的电刺激（高频用于大纤维，低频用于小纤维）来评估神经测量仪区分不同类型神经纤维损伤的能力，并将结果与振动感知阈值（VPT）和热感知阈值（TPT）的标准感觉测试进行比较。对51例糖尿病性神经病变患者和28例年龄及性别匹配的非糖尿病对照者的食指和拇趾进行了CPT测定。神经病变患者双脚和双手在所有三个频率下的CPT均能与对照组区分开来（p<0.05）。在足部，2000赫兹时的CPT与VPT之间的相关性最佳（r=0.48，p<0.001），表明具有一定程度的神经选择性。三个频率下CPT之间的内部相关性显示，2000赫兹和5赫兹时的CPT之间的相关性最弱（r=0.27，p<0.005），这也表明可能检测的是不同类型的纤维。CPT在对照组中的重复性（CV=6.4-27.7%）优于神经病变患者（CV=28.4-52.3%），尽管变异系数与感觉功能的标准测试VPT和TPT相当。神经测量仪是一种在临床实践中使用的简单仪器。它具有一定程度的神经选择性，但与所有主观感觉测试一样，具有较大的变异性。
