Abstract            Volume:5  Issue-7  Year-2017         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Though tight glycemic control remains the cornerstone for prevention and management of Diabetic Neuropathy (DN), it is often inadequate. Zinc supplementation may offer symptomatic and functional improvement in these patients. We tried to evaluate the effects of zinc supplementation on Nerve Conduction Study (NCS) parameters and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level in patients with DN and search for whether duration of diabetes affect outcome. Patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with peripheral neuropathy, presenting at Diabetes clinic were enrolled for baseline and follow-up (after 12 weeks) evaluation of NCS parameters along with HbA1c for Cases (received zinc therapy100mg/day) and Controls (did not receive zinc). Cases divided into three groups according to diabetes duration and evaluated for any significant differences in the response to the zinc, reflected by NCS parameters and HbA1c.The observational follow-up study on 45 patients showed highly significant (p<0.01) improvement for Median and Tibial motor amplitude, Median sensory (amplitude, velocity) and Sural (latency, amplitude) after 12 weeks of zinc supplementation in Cases. Significant difference (p<0.05) in changes was seen among Cases (n=25) compared to Controls (n=20) in amplitude and velocity (motor parameters) and latency, amplitude, velocity (sensory parameters) along with HbA1c. Median motor latency and HbA1c level, after zinc therapy varied significantly in individuals with longest diabetes duration.

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