Evaluation of the peripheral nervous system in patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency and hypoxaemia

ABSTRACT

Evaluation of peripheral nervous system was studied in 15 male patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency and hypxaemia in addition to 15 healthy individuals. They were selected to be non smoker and had no possible causes of peripheral neuropathy. Neurological examination and electro diagnostic tests in the form of motor and sensory conduction velocities and terminal latencies were done. The results of neurological examination revealed the presence of at least one of the clinical signs of peripheral neuropathy in 10 patients [67%]. Nerve conduction tests showed marked conduction impairment in at least one peripheral nerve in all patients. So nerve conduction studies were of value in identifying subclinical neuropathy in 33% of our patients. A statistically significant of both sensory and motor conduction velocities and latencies of all the studied nerves was found when compared to the normal control groups. These findings reveal that peripheral sensorimotor neuropathy commonly occurs in association with chronic respiratory insujfficiency and chronic hypoxaemia