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

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 less than 0.001, fructose (0.245 [0.060-1.280] vs 0.150 [0.053-0.385]) p less than 0.05, and sorbitol (0.028 [0.012-0.496] vs 0.016 [0.007-0.059] p less than 0.02, mumol/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] mumol/g wet weight). Concentrations differed markedly from previously reported values in human nerve obtained at post-mortem.