DOES SMOKING AFFECT NERVE CONDUCTION VELOCITY IN LOWER LIMBS? - A COMPARATIVE CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Dr.Sagar R. Chavan; Dr Sneha H. Sathe

Volume : VIII, Issue : I, January - 2019

DOES SMOKING AFFECT NERVE CONDUCTION VELOCITY IN LOWER LIMBS? - A COMPARATIVE CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Dr. Sagar R. Chavan, Dr Sneha H. Sathe

Abstract :

Introduction: Smoking cigarettes is one of the main independent factor leading to peripheral neuropathy. Very few Indian studies are available on the topic. Hence, the present study was undertaken Objectives: To study Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) in lower limbs in sensory (Sural) and motor (Peroneal) nerves in healthy male smokers and compare with age, BMI matched non-smokers. Material and Methods: Study was conducted in 120 subjects belonging to age group 25-45 years. Sensory and motor NCV was tested in Sural and Peroneal nerves respectively by standard method in apparently healthy male smokers, who were subdivided according to smoking index into mild, moderate and heavy smokers group (30 subjects/group). Control group had 30 age & BMI matched non-smokers. Mean values of NCV of different groups were compared statistically by one way Anova test and Bonferroni�s test. Results: The difference in mean values of NCV (m/sec) in Sural (sensory) nerve of smokers was statistically significant among all the compared groups. The difference in mean values of NCV (m/sec) in Peroneal (motor) nerve was statistically non-significant among all the compared groups. A significant negative correlation was observed between smoking index and Sural (sensory) nerve conduction velocity. Slightly negative but non-significant correlation was observed between smoking index and peroneal nerve conduction velocity. Conclusion: Smoking reduces conduction velocity in sensory (Sural) nerve while it does not significantly affect conduction velocity in motor (Peroneal) nerve in lower limbs in apparently healthy smokers.