ID 106 – Pathophysiological classification of polyneuropathies in different aetiologies

Abstract

Objective We aimed in this study to examine aetiologies and pathopysiological classification of patients referred for electrodiagnosis of polyneuropathy (PNP). Methods Clinical information and motor and sensory nerve conduction data of 291 patients consecutively referred for assessment of PNP were analysed retrospectively. The aetiological causes and clinical diagnoses were reviewed from patient files. The classification of PNPs were first done as sensory, motor and sensory-motor, and then further classified as axonal, demyelinating and mixed according to ESTEEM criteria (Tankisi et al., 2005). Results In 130 patients, no signs of PNP were found. In 161 patients, a sensory (21), motor (10) or sensory-motor (130) PNP was diagnosed. Of these, 42 were demyelinating, 56 axonal, 21 mixed and 42 unclassified. The aetiologies of PNPs were inflammatory (38), diabetic (23), hereditary (15), paraneoplastic (11), alcoholic (7), B12 deficiency (6), other (13) or idiopathic (48). Inflammatory PNPs were mostly demyelinating (74%), idiopatic PNPs axonal (50%) and diabetic PNPs unclassified (52%); however in the other groups, pathophysiological classifications were equally disturbed. Conclusion Demyelination guides the clinicians towards inflammatory PNPs. However, a broad spectrum of aetiological factors should be checked in other classifications. Key massage Electrophysiolological classification of PNP may provide invaluable information about the aetiology.