Causative Role Of Cigarette Smoking In Peripheral Neuropathy In Stable Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Patients: A Crosssectional Study

Dr. Vineeta Chadha; Dr. Surendra S. Shivalkar

Volume : V, Issue : IX, September - 2016

Causative Role Of Cigarette Smoking In Peripheral Neuropathy In Stable Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Patients: A Crosssectional Study

Dr. Vineeta Chadha, Dr. Surendra S. Shivalkar

Abstract :

Context: Smoking has been attributed as a causative factor for many health problems. The present study is an attempt to find the influence of smoking on nerve conduction in COPD patients. Aims: The study aims to find the causative influence of duration and severity of smoking on nerve conduction parameters in COPD patients. Settings and Design: The study was conducted in a Department of Physiology in collaboration with Department of Pulmonary Medicine in a tertiary hospital in Mumbai with prior permission of ethical committee. 100 known cases of COPD in the age group of 25 to 65 years were taken after considering for the relevant exclusion criteria. Methods and Material: In the present study conduction latency, amplitude and velocity were recorded as per the standard protocol in median, ulnar, peroneal motor and sural sensory nerves. Statistical analysis used: Pearson correlation between motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity, amplitude and latency with smoking history was studied. Results: On analysis, strong and negative correlation was found between conduction velocity of sural nerve and smoking history in pack years (r=0.411). Conclusions: Airflow limitation is a causative factor for sensory neuropathy in COPD patients.