Cellular infiltrates in skin and sural nerve of patients with polyneuropathies.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic usefulness of skin punch biopsies with emphasis on visualization and quantification of T-cells and macrophages in patients with polyneuropathies.

Methods: We quantified inflammatory cells in skin samples (lower leg, upper thigh) in 187 patients and compared data with counts in their sural nerve biopsies and with skin biopsies from 32 healthy volunteers.

Results: Vessel-bound T-cells and macrophages were increased in proximal and distal skin samples of neuropathy patients compared with controls (P < 0.

Prediabetes/early diabetes-associated neuropathy predominantly involves sensory small fibres.

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of prediabetes (preDM) and early (<3 years) diabetes mellitus type 2 (eDM2)-associated neuropathy and the value of recently proposed diagnostic criteria for diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN). A prospective case-control study in a group of 48 consecutive patients with eDM2, 16 preDM patients and 40 age- and sex-matched normoglycaemic controls was performed. Clinical and laboratory diagnostic tests were used to detect neuropathic abnormalities; these were further classified in terms of recent diagnostic criteria.