RESUMEN
Background: Cigarette smoking is the most commonly encountered risk factor for COPD, and causes COPD by its noxious particles and or gases. Cigarette smoke contains some neurotoxin substances that might be important in the pathogenesis of peripheral neuropathy. Objective: To determine whether the effect of the duration of smoking leads to development of peripheral neuropathy in different groups of the COPD patients as measured by nerve conduction studies of upper extremities Material and Methods: The nerve conduction test, of the median and ulnar nerves of the upper extremities, was performed on the subjects (study and control group), who were assessed for their anthropometric measurements, history regarding pack years, the pulmonary function tests, SpO2 levels. Results: Significant difference was found between smoking history in pack years and in the values of Nerve Conduction Velocity of the nerves of upper extremities in different groups of COPD patients, which was found to be statistically significant at p<0.001. Conclusion: A decrease in nerve conduction velocity was observed in the nerves of upper extremities as duration of smoking in pack years increased in the different groups of COPD patients.