Assessment of Stability Deficits in Patients with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to identify stability deficits in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) with or without visual feedback, and correlate duration of onset of DPN to stability deficits. Subjects: Thirty male patients, their age ranged from 40 to 60 years old, and diagnosed as having type II diabetes from 10 years and with DPN since one year at least (according to the clinical examination) have selected randomly to participate in this study. They were referred from the diabetic out patient's clinic of the Kaser El –Aini hospital. Thirty healthy male volunteers were participated to represent the control group, they were matched in age, weight and height to the diabetic patients. Procedures: Biodex stability system used to assess dynamic stability level "in the form of overall (SI), antroposterior (AP), and mediolateral (ML) stability indices" in both groups during standing on both feet with eyes open, then with closed eyes. Results: independent t-tests showed that the patients with DPN had significant stability deficits in comparison with healthy subjects. All the subjects had better stability during opened-eye condition than closed-eye conditions. Correlation analysis showed that stability deficits were correlated with the duration of onset of DPN. Conclusion: It had been concluded that visual feedback improved stability control in patients and healthy subjects. Patients with DPN had significantly lower stability control than healthy subjects, and that stability deficits in DPN had a trend to increase over time.