Abstract
Diabetic neuropathy is associated with changes in the extracellular matrix of the
perineurium, including thickening of the basement membrane of the perineurial cells.
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a common vascular condition that can occur in
the absence or presence of diabetes. Thickening of the vascular basement membrane
of the vasa nervorum is associated with both diabetes and nondiabetic peripheral vascular
disease. However, perineurial cell basement membrane (PCBM) thickening in the nondiabetic
PVD state has not, until now, been investigated. In this study, 36 nerve fascicles
were examined from three patient groups: a diabetic group, a nondiabetic PVD group,
and a group free of both PVD and diabetes (control group). PCBM thickness, fascicle
size, and myelinated nerve fibre (MNF) density were measured in all three groups.
Endoneurial blood vessels were also observed for evidence of morphological changes.
The results showed that the thickness of the PCBM is significantly greater in the
diabetic group in comparison with both the control and the nondiabetic PVD group,
and this increase in thickness is linearly related to fascicle size. The thickness
of the PCBM was not significantly different between the nondiabetic PVD and control
groups. Although both the nondiabetic PVD and diabetic groups showed a loss of myelinated
nerve fibres in comparison with the control group, this loss was statistically greater
in the diabetic group. The endoneurial blood vessels of both the diabetic and nondiabetic
PVD groups showed evidence of endothelial cell hyperplasia, hypertrophy, and basement
membrane reduplication.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 12,
2003
Received:
June 27,
2003
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
