Research overview
The text below is the source article’s original abstract under a verified reuse license. cc by
Neuropathic pain has multiple etiologies, but a major feature is small fiber dysfunction or damage. Corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) is a rapid non-invasive ophthalmic imaging technique that can image small nerve fibers in the cornea and has been utilized to show small nerve fiber loss in patients with diabetic and other neuropathies. CCM has comparable diagnostic utility to intraepidermal nerve fiber density for diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia and amyloid neuropathy and predicts the development of diabetic neuropathy. Moreover, in clinical intervention trials of patients with diabetic and sarcoid neuropathy, corneal nerve regeneration occurs early and precedes an improvement in symptoms and neurophysiology. Corneal nerve fiber loss also occurs and is associated with disease progression in multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and dementia. We conclude that corneal confocal microscopy has good diagnostic and prognostic capability and fulfills the FDA criteria as a surrogate end point for clinical trials in peripheral and central neurodegenerative diseases.
Scientific assessment
Research question
Assess the question within the original study’s scope.
Methods & sample
Check the source article for study design and sample details.
Key findings
An editorially approved findings summary is not yet published for this record.
Limitations
Generalizability, bias and clinical meaning require separate assessment.
Methods, samples and clinical conclusions are not inferred from bibliographic metadata.