Establishment of early diagnostic methods for detecting IGT neuropathy based on curation and post-translational modification

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K08620
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Laboratory medicine
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: OBAYASHI KONEN 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(保), 教授 (90361899)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 田崎 雅義 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(保), 助教 (50613402)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 耐糖能異常 / IGTニューロパチー / 尿中ミオイノシトール / Aδ線維特異的痛覚閾値検査 / 血管運動神経機能検査

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is well known that IGT neuropathy is characterized by early selective involvement of small nerve fibers. However, early diagnosis of the disease is not easy because prominent early diagnostic markers for small fiber neuropathies have not established. Thus, we adopted several methods to evaluate peripheral nerve function accurately for detecting the onset of IGT neuropathy. In particular, the combination of urinary myoinositol levels, Aδ nerve specific pain thresholds, and degree of vasomotor dysfunction had the best results. Moreover, we ｍay be able to advocate a new clinical entity "semi-prediabetic neuropathy" in our next adopted subject using the combination method.

Free Research Field

臨床検査医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によって我々が確立した検査法の組み合わせは、今後日常診療の場で、正確かつ迅速なIGTニューロパチーの診断を実現していくことに大きく貢献するものと思われる。さらに、その延長上で、現在国内だけでも約500万人存在すると推定される糖尿病性ニューロパチー患者に対し、point of no returnに至る前の治療開始を徹底させ、その予後を必ずや向上させるはずである。