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: 156 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.