Epidermal nerve fibers: confidence intervals and continuous measures with nerve conduction.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Our first objective was to explore the value of estimating 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of epidermal nerve fibers (ENFs)/mm for number of sections to be evaluated and for confidently judging normality or abnormality. Our second objective was to introduce a new continuous measure combining nerve conduction and ENFs/mm.

Methods

The 95% CI studies were performed on 1, 1-2, 1-3 - - - 1-10 serial skip sections of 3-mm punch biopsies of leg and thigh of 67 healthy subjects and 23 patients with diabetes mellitus.

Results

Variability of differences of ENFs/mm counts (and 95% CIs) from evaluation of 1, 1-2, 1-3 - - - 1-9 compared with 1-10 serial skip sections decreased progressively without a break point with increasing numbers of sections evaluated. Estimating 9

SUBMITTER: Engelstad JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3570816 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature