Prevalence of neuropathy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

ABSTRACT

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a disease that reduces the expiratory flow, thus resulting in hypoxemia in variable severity. Twenty-one chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and 43 age-matched control subjects were included in the study. Nerve conduction study, pulmonary function tests and oxygen saturation were evaluated. The sensory conduction velocities of all the examined nerves were reduced significantly in the patient's group. The motor conduction velocity is reduced but not to a significant level. All the parameters of pulmonary function tests and oxygen saturation were reduced in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. A clear relationship between the degree of airway obstruction and posterior tibial sensory neuropathy was noticed. The abnormality in the nerve conduction velocity is predominantly of sensory type. Low oxygen concentration appears to be the causative agent