Peripheral nerve concentrations of glucose,fructose, sorbitol and myoinositol in diabetic and non-diabetic patients

Summary Glucose, fructose, sorbitol and myoinositol concentrations were measured in biopsies of peripheral nerve obtained at above-knee or below-knee amputation. In diabetic patients nerve glucose (median [range]) (5.09 [1.62–12.82] vs 3.12 [1.81–4.01]) p<0.001, fructose (0.245 [0.060–1.280] vs 0.150 [0.053–0.385]) p<0.05, and sorbitol (0.028 [0.012–0.496] vs 0.016 [0.007–0.059] p<0.02, mol/g wet weight) were significantly higher than in non-diabetic patients. No significant difference was found in myoinositol concentration (1.95 [1.00–3.55] vs 2.09 [1.27–5.40] mol/g wet weight). Concentrations differed markedly from previously reported values in human nerve obtained at post-mortem.