Comparing the Ipswich Touch Test (IpTT) and 10gm-SMWF (10-gm Semmes-Weinstein mono-filament) in Indian population subset with type 2 diabetes mellitus to detect diabetes neuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic neuropathy diagnosis involves invasive procedures like nerve biopsy and nerve conduction studies which are seldom available at rural health centers. The Ipswich Touch Test (IpTT) is one test that can be performed by the caregiver and it's simple to perform.

AIM: This study was aimed to compare the validity of the IpTT and 10gm-SMWF (10-gm Semmes-Weinstein mono-filament) test with the vibration perception threshold (VPT) using biothesiometer.

METHODS: Two hundred patients with type 2 diabetes, between the age of 30 and 50 years, were included in the study. The neuropathy assessment was performed by biothesiometer, 10gm-SMWF test, and IpTT. Taking VPT(> 25 V) as the gold standard; the sensitivity and specificity of IpTT and 10gm-SMWF are calculated and compared to each other.

RESULTS: On comparing with the VPT, the 10gm-SMWF test had a sensitivity of 94.7% and specificity of 85.7%, and the IpTT had a sensitivity of 91.9% and specificity of 85.7%. 10gm-SMWF test (Kappa value 0.733) had better agreement with VPT than IpTT (Kappa value 0.675). On Spearman's correlation, the 10gm-SMWF test and the IpTT had r values of 0.738 and 0.686 respectively (P = 0.000).

CONCLUSION: 10gm-SMWFis a better test to diagnose neuropathy than the IpTT; but in the absence of 10gm-SMWFs, the IpTT is an ideal alternative. IpTT can be performed in a bedside or chairside setting in the absence of a professional health care provider who can screen patients for neuropathy and alert the physician of an impending complication where amputation can be avoided.