Studies on intraepidermal nerve fiber density of healthy human / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objectives To complete quantitive analysis of intraepidermal nerve fibers(IENFs) by skin biopsy, evaluate epidermal innervation according to age and anatomical site and establish a reference range for IENFs at the distal leg. Methods Seventy skin biopsy specimens involving 70 patients were analyzed. Specimens were fixed routinely in formalin and thereafter embedded in paraffin. Nerve fibers of 10 μm thick sections were revealed using immunoperoxidase staining with panaxonal antibody PGP9. 5. Examine the morphology of IENFs, determine intrsepidermal nerve fibers density (IENFD) and perform the statistical analysis finally. Results Epidermal innervation of different age groups which came from distal leg and wrist did not chang with age. A trend displaying age-associated decreased epidermal innervation was found, although it was not statistically significant. The number of IENFD (fibers/mm2) in upper arm (91.8±21.1) and subterminal thigh (89. 2±21.4) were significantly higher than their number in wrist (64. 5 ± 22. 5) and distal leg (62. 9 ± 15.3). The reference range for IENFD of distal leg in normal humans is 40. 6 fibers/mm2. Condnsions Morphology of IENFs can be dearly displayed by skin biopsy, and this technology is easy to complete the quantitative study of IENFs. It provides a reliable platform for the diagnose and study of peripheral neuropathy.