To establish a method for multidimensional measurement and evaluation of numbness, and to create guidelines for numbness assessment.

2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23660008
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Fundamental nursing
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: AKAMATSU Kimiko 愛媛大学, 大学院・医学系研究科, 准教授 (40346664)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUKAI Kiyoko 岡山大学, 保健学研究科, 教授 (70104809)
• Project Period (FY): 2011 – 2012
• Keywords: 糖尿病患者 / しびれ / 測定 / 観察

Research Abstract

numbness characteristics and the association between numbness and skin sensation in patients with numbness due to diabetic neuropathy. This study included 20 diabetic outpatients who had numbness. All 20 patients had numbness in their feet, and 8 had numbness in their hands. We focused on the hands, where the numbness was of relatively more recent onset. In patients with numbness, sensation in the ring finger was significantly less than in patients without numbness. Our findings suggest an association between decreased sensationof the ring finger and numbness onset in diabetic patients.