Evaluation of the Self-administered Indicator Plaster Neuropad for the Diagnosis of Neuropathy in Diabetes

doi:10.2337/dc07-1942

Evaluation of the Self-administered Indicator Plaster Neuropad for the Diagnosis of Neuropathy in Diabetes

Nicholas Tentolouris, MD (ntentol{at}med.uoa.gr),
Vasilis Achtsidis, MD,
Kyriaki Marinou, MD and
Nicholas Katsilambros, MD

1^st Department of Propaedeutic Medicine, Athens University Medical School, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the inter-rater reliability between patient and healthcare provider of the indicator plaster neuropad (IPN) in the diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy (PN) and the feasibility of the IPN.

Research Design and Methods: 56 patients with diabetes were examined. At the same visit the IPN was evaluated by the healthcare provider. Afterwards, the IPN with written instructions for its use and evaluation for self-testing at home were provided together with a questionnaire asking for the easiness of the IPN.

Results: Neuropathy was diagnosed in 56.9% of the participants by the healthcare provider. The k statistic to measure overall agreement between patient and healthcare provider of the IPN was very good: 0.88 (95% CI: 0.85-0.91). The indicated instructions and the IPN were evaluated as easy by the patients.

Conclusions: The high degree of reliability and the easiness of the IPN suggest that it is proper for self-testing for the identification of PN.