Predicting diabetic retinopathy stages using a simple nerve conduction measuring device, DPNCheck®: a retrospective observational study
Aims/introductionDiabetic retinopathy (DR) often remains asymptomatic until it reaches advanced stages, when delayed treatment can lead to irreversible visual impairment. To promote timely ophthalmology visits, this study investigated the utility of a simple nerve conduction device, DPNCheck®, as a...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare |
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| author | Mayu Sakai Mayu Sakai Mayu Sakai Takehiro Kato Takehiro Kato Takuma Ishihara Ken Takao Ken Takao Tokuyuki Hirose Tokuyuki Hirose Sodai Kubota Sodai Kubota Saki Kubota-Okamoto Saki Kubota-Okamoto Toshinori Imaizumi Toshinori Imaizumi Yoshihiro Takahashi Yoshihiro Takahashi Masami Mizuno Masami Mizuno Takuo Hirota Takuo Hirota Yukio Horikawa Yukio Horikawa Hirokazu Sakaguchi Hirokazu Sakaguchi Shin Tsunekawa Daisuke Yabe Daisuke Yabe Daisuke Yabe |
| author_facet | Mayu Sakai Mayu Sakai Mayu Sakai Takehiro Kato Takehiro Kato Takuma Ishihara Ken Takao Ken Takao Tokuyuki Hirose Tokuyuki Hirose Sodai Kubota Sodai Kubota Saki Kubota-Okamoto Saki Kubota-Okamoto Toshinori Imaizumi Toshinori Imaizumi Yoshihiro Takahashi Yoshihiro Takahashi Masami Mizuno Masami Mizuno Takuo Hirota Takuo Hirota Yukio Horikawa Yukio Horikawa Hirokazu Sakaguchi Hirokazu Sakaguchi Shin Tsunekawa Daisuke Yabe Daisuke Yabe Daisuke Yabe |
| author_sort | Mayu Sakai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aims/introductionDiabetic retinopathy (DR) often remains asymptomatic until it reaches advanced stages, when delayed treatment can lead to irreversible visual impairment. To promote timely ophthalmology visits, this study investigated the utility of a simple nerve conduction device, DPNCheck®, as a predictor of DR severity. Previous research has established a relationship between diabetic neuropathy (assessed by conventional nerve conduction studies) and DR progression; however, the specialized equipment and expertise required limit its practicality. In contrast, DPNCheck® is a simpler alternative that quantifies neuropathy severity through the severity of the estimated modified Baba classification (eMBC).Materials and methodsUsing electronic medical records (EHRs), we identified individuals with diabetes who underwent DPNCheck® and subsequent ophthalmologic assessment for DR. Based on age and sural nerve conduction data, an eMBC was calculated. Meanwhile, DR severity was scored using a modified Davis classification, defining four stages (DR severity scores 0–3).ResultsOf 181 individuals extracted from our hospital’s EHRs, 146 were eligible for analysis. Ordinal logistic regression showed that eMBC was significantly associated with DR stage, independent of diabetes duration and HbA1c. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses yielded eMBC cut-off values of 1.11, 1.51, and 1.51 to predict DR severity scores of ≥1, ≥2, and ≥3, respectively. Sensitivities ranged from 0.67 to 0.78, and specificities from 0.66 to 0.81. An eMBC of 1.51 or above was strongly associated with preproliferative or proliferative DR, indicating a need for urgent ophthalmology referral.ConclusionsDPNCheck®, a simple nerve conduction measurement device, may help predict DR severity and facilitate timely ophthalmologic care. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ebb3245c7c2c458e86249e97c9969c81 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-6616 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj-art-ebb3245c7c2c458e86249e97c9969c812025-08-20T03:50:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare2673-66162025-07-01610.3389/fcdhc.2025.15904071590407Predicting diabetic retinopathy stages using a simple nerve conduction measuring device, DPNCheck®: a retrospective observational studyMayu Sakai0Mayu Sakai1Mayu Sakai2Takehiro Kato3Takehiro Kato4Takuma Ishihara5Ken Takao6Ken Takao7Tokuyuki Hirose8Tokuyuki Hirose9Sodai Kubota10Sodai Kubota11Saki Kubota-Okamoto12Saki Kubota-Okamoto13Toshinori Imaizumi14Toshinori Imaizumi15Yoshihiro Takahashi16Yoshihiro Takahashi17Masami Mizuno18Masami Mizuno19Takuo Hirota20Takuo Hirota21Yukio Horikawa22Yukio Horikawa23Hirokazu Sakaguchi24Hirokazu Sakaguchi25Shin Tsunekawa26Daisuke Yabe27Daisuke Yabe28Daisuke Yabe29Department of Occupational Health, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanInnovative and Clinical Research Promotion Center, Gifu University Hospital, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Ophthalmology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanCenter for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research, Gifu University Institute of Advanced Studies, Gifu, JapanCenter for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research, Gifu University Institute of Advanced Studies, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, JapanCenter for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research, Gifu University Institute of Advanced Studies, Gifu, JapanAims/introductionDiabetic retinopathy (DR) often remains asymptomatic until it reaches advanced stages, when delayed treatment can lead to irreversible visual impairment. To promote timely ophthalmology visits, this study investigated the utility of a simple nerve conduction device, DPNCheck®, as a predictor of DR severity. Previous research has established a relationship between diabetic neuropathy (assessed by conventional nerve conduction studies) and DR progression; however, the specialized equipment and expertise required limit its practicality. In contrast, DPNCheck® is a simpler alternative that quantifies neuropathy severity through the severity of the estimated modified Baba classification (eMBC).Materials and methodsUsing electronic medical records (EHRs), we identified individuals with diabetes who underwent DPNCheck® and subsequent ophthalmologic assessment for DR. Based on age and sural nerve conduction data, an eMBC was calculated. Meanwhile, DR severity was scored using a modified Davis classification, defining four stages (DR severity scores 0–3).ResultsOf 181 individuals extracted from our hospital’s EHRs, 146 were eligible for analysis. Ordinal logistic regression showed that eMBC was significantly associated with DR stage, independent of diabetes duration and HbA1c. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses yielded eMBC cut-off values of 1.11, 1.51, and 1.51 to predict DR severity scores of ≥1, ≥2, and ≥3, respectively. Sensitivities ranged from 0.67 to 0.78, and specificities from 0.66 to 0.81. An eMBC of 1.51 or above was strongly associated with preproliferative or proliferative DR, indicating a need for urgent ophthalmology referral.ConclusionsDPNCheck®, a simple nerve conduction measurement device, may help predict DR severity and facilitate timely ophthalmologic care.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2025.1590407/fulldiabetic retinopathydiabetic neuropathyDPNCheck®modified Baba classificationretrospective observational study |
| spellingShingle | Mayu Sakai Mayu Sakai Mayu Sakai Takehiro Kato Takehiro Kato Takuma Ishihara Ken Takao Ken Takao Tokuyuki Hirose Tokuyuki Hirose Sodai Kubota Sodai Kubota Saki Kubota-Okamoto Saki Kubota-Okamoto Toshinori Imaizumi Toshinori Imaizumi Yoshihiro Takahashi Yoshihiro Takahashi Masami Mizuno Masami Mizuno Takuo Hirota Takuo Hirota Yukio Horikawa Yukio Horikawa Hirokazu Sakaguchi Hirokazu Sakaguchi Shin Tsunekawa Daisuke Yabe Daisuke Yabe Daisuke Yabe Predicting diabetic retinopathy stages using a simple nerve conduction measuring device, DPNCheck®: a retrospective observational study Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare diabetic retinopathy diabetic neuropathy DPNCheck® modified Baba classification retrospective observational study |
| title | Predicting diabetic retinopathy stages using a simple nerve conduction measuring device, DPNCheck®: a retrospective observational study |
| title_full | Predicting diabetic retinopathy stages using a simple nerve conduction measuring device, DPNCheck®: a retrospective observational study |
| title_fullStr | Predicting diabetic retinopathy stages using a simple nerve conduction measuring device, DPNCheck®: a retrospective observational study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predicting diabetic retinopathy stages using a simple nerve conduction measuring device, DPNCheck®: a retrospective observational study |
| title_short | Predicting diabetic retinopathy stages using a simple nerve conduction measuring device, DPNCheck®: a retrospective observational study |
| title_sort | predicting diabetic retinopathy stages using a simple nerve conduction measuring device dpncheck r a retrospective observational study |
| topic | diabetic retinopathy diabetic neuropathy DPNCheck® modified Baba classification retrospective observational study |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2025.1590407/full |
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