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Background: Neuropathy is one of the common complications of diabetes, in which the patient's quality of life is compromised. Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are not commonly employed to detect the neuropathy. Aims & Objective: To find out the utility of Nerve conduction studies (NCS) as early indicator of neuropathy in diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: 50 diabetes mellitus patients with normal HbA1c levels and 50 diabetes mellitus patients with elevated HbA1c levels were selected, making it a total of 100 diabetes mellitus patients. 50 non-diabetic, healthy subjects were chosen as a control group. The nerve conduction velocity was tested in all the diabetic subjects and the healthy controls. Results: The analysis showed that the nerve conduction velocity progressively decreased from the controls (49.0 ± 3.9) to the diabetics with a good glycaemia control (47.2 ± 2.8), to the diabetics with a poor glycemic control (45.3 ± 3.1). Conclusion: There is a progressive neuronal involvement in the diabetic process which is accelerated by poor glycemic control. Therefore, nerve conduction studies can be employed for testing and for the early indication of neuropathy in diabetic patients.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the commonest median nerve entrapment neuropathy with preponderance in females. Aims & Objective: The present study was carried out for early conformation of clinically diagnosed patients of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) by electrodiagnostic tests which include motor conduction, sensory conduction, and F-wave studies. Materials and Methods: Early confirmation of clinically suspected patients of CTS by performing electrodiagnostic tests of median and ulnar nerves. 100 subjects of age group 30-50 years (50 clinically suspected patients of CTS, 50 as control group) were studied. Motor and Sensory conduction velocities, distal motor and sensory latencies and F wave latencies were performed using Medtronic Keypoint @ 2 EMG EP software. Results: Statistically significant (P<0.001) slowing of motor conduction velocities for median nerve was seen in the CTS group as compared to control group. Statistically significant (P<0.001) increase in distal motor and sensory latencies was observed for both median and ulnar nerves in CTS group with more increase in distal motor latency than sensory latency. Increase in F wave latencies of both nerves was seen in CTS group. Conclusion: Electrophysiological studies confirmed the early diagnosis of CTS with a high degree of sensitivity. Present results confirm selective slowing of sensory and motor conduction within wrist to palm segment in patients of CTS due to compression by the transverse carpel ligament or to disease process of terminal segment.

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Background: Smoking is known as the major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In COPD, most of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) those indicating the diameter of airways are reduced. There are reports that bronchodilator drugs have no or a very little effect on PFT of COPD patients. Aims & Objective: PFTs of smokers were compared with those of non-smokers and the effect of bronchodilator inhaler (salbutamol) on PFTs of smokers was also examined. Materials and Methods: Pulmonary function tests were measured in 100 male smokers (height 171.71 ± 6.68 cm, age 36.49 ± 13.06 years old) and compared with 100 male nonsmokers (height 171.79 ± 8.81 cm, age 35.56 ± 12.83 years old). The subjects underwent measurement of spirometric flow and volume. The following variables were measured: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal expiratory flow at 75%, 50%, and 25% of the FVC (MEF75, MEF50, and MEF25 respectively). In addition, pulmonary function tests of 33 male smokers (height 172.79 ± 11.94 cm, age 38.30 ± 6.65 years old) before and 10 minutes after administration of 200 μg salbutamol inhaler were measured. Results: Most values of PFTs in smokers were significantly lower than those of non-smokers (p<0.001 for FVC, FEV1, PEF, MEF75, p<0.01 for MMEF, and p<0.02 for MEF50). However, there were not significant differences in MEF25 of smokers and non-smokers. There were significant correlations between the smoking duration and FEV1, PEF, MEF75, and MEF50 (p<0.05 to p<0.01), but correlations between smoking quantity and values of PFTs were not significant. The results also showed that all values of PFTs were significantly increased after salbutamol administration (p<0.05 to p<0.01). The enhancement in PEF, MEF75, and MEF50 was around 12% and that of MEF25 was 17%. Conclusion: The effect of smoking on PFT showed that smoking leads to constriction of large and medium sized airways which is mostly due to duration not to quantity of smoking. The airway constriction in smokers was reversible which, was mostly seen for medium sized airways.