The diagnostic usefulness of the combined COMPASS 31 questionnaire and electrochemical skin conductance for...

The diagnostic usefulness of the combined COMPASS 31 questionnaire and electrochemical skin conductance for..., COMPASS 31 is an easy self‐questionnaire for autonomic symptoms validated in diabetes for cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). Electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) is proposed as a reliable easy test for sudomotor or sweating function., Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System The diagnostic usefulness of the combined COMPASS 31 questionnaire and electrochemical skin conductance for diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and diabetic polyneuropathy


COMPASS 31 is an easy self‐questionnaire for autonomic symptoms validated in diabetes for cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). Electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) is proposed as a reliable easy test for sudomotor or sweating function.
In this study, the combined use of these tests improves their diagnostic performance, reaching sensitivity over 90% and 80% and specificity around 80% and 90% for CAN and DPN, respectively.
Thus, their combined use favors a pinpointed selection of candidates for standard CAN and DPN diagnosis.






Abstract


The study investigated the diagnostic performance for diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) of the combined use of composite autonomic symptom score (COMPASS) 31, validated questionnaire for autonomic symptoms of CAN, and electrochemical skin conductance (ESC), proposed for detecting DPN and CAN. One‐hundred and two participants with diabetes (age 57 ± 14 years, duration 17 ± 13 years) completed the COMPASS 31 before assessing cardiovascular reflex tests (CARTs), neuropathic symptoms, signs, vibratory perception threshold (VPT), thermal thresholds (TT), and ESC using Sudoscan. Two patterns were evaluated: (a) the combined abnormalities in both tests (COMPASS 31+ESC), and (b) the abnormality in COMPASS 31 and/or ESC (COMPASS 31 and/or ESC). CAN (1 abnormal CART) and confirmed CAN (2 abnormal CARTs) were present in 28.1% and 12.5%, DPN (two abnormalities among symptoms, signs, VPT, and TT) in 52%, abnormal COMPASS 31 (total weighted score >16.44) in 48% and abnormal ESC (hands ESC <50 μS and/or feet ESC <70 μS) in 47.4%. Both the patterns—COMPASS 31+ESC and COMPASS 31 and/or ESC—were associated with CAN and DPN (P < .01). COMPASS 31 and ESC reached a sensitivity of 75% and 83% for confirmed CAN, and a specificity of 65% and 67% for DPN. When combining the tests, the sensitivity for CAN rose by up to 100% for CAN and the specificity up to 89% for DPN. The combination of the tests can allow a stepwise screening strategy for CAN, by suggesting CAN absence with combined normality, and prompting to CARTs with combined abnormality.

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