Median Nerve Affection in Hypertensive Patients with and without Diabetes High-Resolution Ultrasound Assessment.

PURPOSE: Diabetes is a documented risk factor for peripheral neuropathy. It was reported that associated hypertension could increase this risk. The present study aimed to assess the effect of hypertension and diabetes on median nerve using high-resolution ultrasound. METHODS: The study includes 50 hypertensive patients (HTN group), 50 diabetic patients (DM group), 50 patients with coexisting diabetes and hypertension (HTN + DM group) and 50 healthy controls. Median nerve affection in the studied groups was studied by vibration perception thresholds (VPT). The median nerve cross-sectional area was determined at the nerve cross-sectional area of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel by high-resolution ultrasound. Clinical symptoms were assessed using Toronto Clinical Severity Score (TCSS). RESULTS: There was significantly higher median nerve CSA in all patient groups in comparison to controls. HTN + DM group had significantly higher median nerve CSA when compared with DM group. Patients with peripheral neuropathy in HTN + DM and DM groups had significantly higher median nerve CSA than patients without. Using ROC curve analysis, it was shown that median CSA could successfully distinguish patients with peripheral neuropathy from patients without in HTN + DM group [AUC (95% CI): 0.71 (0.54-0.89)] and in DM group [AUC (95% CI): 0.86 (0.72-0.99)]. CONCLUSION: Hypertensive patients with and without diabetes have significantly higher median nerve CSA when compared with controls.

Association of Serum 25-Hydroxyl Vitamin D Deficiency and Age-Related Cataract: A Case-Control Study.

PURPOSE: To study the relation between the serum 25-hydroxyl vitamin D (OH D) level and the occurrence of age-related cataract in a case-control study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 325 cataract patients and 385 control individuals of both sexes were examined for the 25-OH D level using the chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) technology. RESULTS: Mean 25-OH D level in cataract patients was 7.6 ± 5.5 ± 11.2 ng/mL and median was 5.6 (2.6-31.9), while in the control group, mean 25-OH D level was 18.5 ± 9.6 ng/mL and median was 17.8 (3.4-37.8) (p value < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference among the different types of cataracts with the lowest level in nuclear cataract. CONCLUSION: 25-OH D levels in all enrolled individuals were below the reference levels with a severe deficiency in cataract patients. These results might highlight the role of deficiency of 25-OH D in age-related cataract patients.