الفهرس 
Introduction and Aim of the WorkOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The aim of the work is to evaluate the plasma level of the trace elements: zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), vanadium (V) and selenium (Se) in diabetic patients and its correlation with peripheral neuropathy and their possible role in etiophthogenesis of this important diabetic complication.
It is evident from this study that:
1- Diabetic neuropathy constitutes one of the major health problems complicating diabetes mellitus.
2- At early stages, most of the patients are asymptomatic and evidence of affection can be obtained only from neurophysiological study which constitutes the gold standard diagnostic tool for detecting early sub clinical forms of diabetic neuropathy.
3- Retinopathy and microalbuminuria are common in diabetics with neuropathy than those without suggesting a probable common etiologic mechanism.
4- Autonomic neuropathy is linked to peripheral neuropathy and has nearly similar prevalence rate.
5- Duration of diabetes and level of glycemic control are the most determinant factors in the development and progress of diabetic neuropathies.
6- Serum levels of trace elements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Mg, Cr, Se, V) are reduces in diabetics in general, this reduction is more prominent in diabetics with neuropathy were it was significantly correlated with its clinical severity, and neurophysiological studies.
7- A negative correlation was found between serum level of trace elements and duration of DM (where V, Cr & Zn were mostly affected), FBS, PPBS, and HBA1c%. (P value was <0.0001 except for Mn, which was nonsignificant.).