MINIMAL F-LATENCY IN PATIENTS WITH NEWLY DISCOVERED PRIMARY HYPOTHYROIDISM AND THE ROLE OF BODY WEIGHT INDEX
Ilija ZDRAVKOV, Avdi NAZIFI
Abstract
Introduction. Electrodiagnostic testing of F-wave latency plays a significant role in the early detection of peripheral neurogenic processes. The relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and the integrity of the peripheral nervous system in hypothyroidism is not extensively studied.Aim. To investigate the relationship between minimal F-wave latency and BMI in newly diagnosed hypothyroid patients and to determine if early peripheral nervous system dysfunction is present.Materials and Methods. A clinical prospective study was conducted on 74 patients with newly diagnosed, untreated primary hypothyroidism. Inclusion criteria excluded patients with a history of peripheral nervous system disorders. BMI, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), and anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (aTPO) were measured. Neurological assessments included self-evaluation, clinical examination, and electromyography (EMG) of minimal F-wave latency in the median and peroneal nerves. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 26.0).Results. Of the 74 patients, 32.43% were male, and 67.57% were female, with a mean age of 43.13±8.21 years and a mean BMI of 27.21±3.19 kg/m². A statistically significant moderate correlation was found between BMI and minimal F-wave latency: n. medianus (r=0.432, p=0.0001) and n. peroneus (r=0.548, p=0.0001).Conclusion. Patients with untreated primary hypothyroidism and elevated BMI have an increased risk of peripheral nerve damage. Further research is necessary to enhance the predictive value of F-wave characteristics analysis for the early detection of peripheral neuropathy.
Pages: 190 - 198