ABSTRACT
This study included 32 diabetic children, in addition to 20 healthy children served as a control group. The aim of this study was to evaluate the central and the peripheral neuroconductive affection in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [IDDM] and to assess their importance as predictors of early neuropathy. All children were subjected to thorough clinical examination. They were investigated for blood glucose, serum glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c], serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen [BUN] levels. They were also subjected to estimation of distal latencies of the median and ulnar nerves bilaterally as well as brain stem auditory evoked potentials [BAEP] recording. Results showed that type I diabetes was associated with prolonged auditory brainstem latencies [62.5% of patients]. Most of them [85%] had no clinical manifestations indicating subclinical central diabetic neuropathy. Metabolic control age of the patient and duration of the disease had no relationship with prolonged BAEP latencies. There was a significant increase in the distal latencies of both median and ulnar nerves in diabetic children as compared to the controls. At least one electrophysiological abnormality was found in 81% of patients. Asymptomatic peripheral neuropathy was found in 27% of patients. Neuropathic diabetic children had significantly higher values of serum glucose and HbAlc than the non-neuropathic patients. There was also a significant increase in the age and duration of illness in the former group than the latter one