Modulating peripheral nerve damage from hyperglycemia/anoxia.

Combined hyperglycemia and anoxia have a marked negative effect on peripheral nerve not seen with either alone. We studied whether nerve injury is related to the presence of hyperglycemia in the oxygenated state, anoxic state, or both.

We performed recordings of the nerve action potential (NAP) from rat sciatic nerve in a perfusion apparatus with different metabolic substrates during anoxia and oxygenated state.

The NAP was best preserved when one of the perfusates contained no glucose. Transient improvements were seen with normoglycemic perfusates or perfusates that contained substrates that were poorly used in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. Hyperglycemia has important negative effects in both the oxygenated and anoxic states.

Deleterious effects of hyperglycemia on the peripheral nerve may relate to metabolic products produced during the oxygenated state, such as glycogen and the effects of reperfusion after prolonged periods of anoxic metabolism. Muscle Nerve, 2016 Muscle Nerve 55: 735-740, 2017.