Poly: many or much
Neuro: nerve
Pathy: suffering
Genetic
Inflammatory/infectious
Immunologic
Metabolic or nutritional
Paraneoplastic (with different types of tumors)
Toxic
Sensory: pain, numbness, hypoesthesia
Motor: muscle weakness
Sensorimotor: the combination of motor and sensory symptoms
Autonomic: breathing difficulties, cardiac arrhythmia, pupil size abnormality, neurogenic bladder or bowel dysfunction
Axonal neuropathy
Demyelinating neuropathy
Neuronopathy
HMSN (CMT): hereditary sensorimotor neuropathy (Charcot Marie Tooth)
Many subtypes
Some groups affect the white matter (myelin), and some groups affect the gray matter (axon) dominantly.
The most common form is CMT or HSMN Type 1A (affects the white matter/substance)
CMT (HMSN) type 1A:
Most common forms
It affects white matter dominantly
Related gene mutation: PMP22 (chromosome 17)
Slow progress
Acute type: GBS: Guillain-Barres syndrome
Chronic type: CIDP: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
Rheumathologic diseases
Sarcoidosis
Neuroborreliosis
Viral infections (HIV)
Diabetes mellitus
B Vitamin deficiency
E Vitamin deficiency
Alcoholism
Renal failure
Hypothyroidism
Hyperthyroidism
Cisplatin
Amiodarone (Cordarone)
Vincristine (Oncuvin)
B6 Vitamin
Lung cancer
Thymoma
Breast cancer
Ovarian cancer
Muscle weakness
Numbness
Hypoesthesia
Pain
Tremor
Muscle atrophy
Breathing difficulties (in severe types of polyneuropathy)
Speech difficulties (in severe types of polyneuropathy)
Dysphagia (in severe types of polyneuropathy)
Slow (absent) pupil reflex against the light (or against autonomic reactions as fear)
Anamnesis (positive family history of polyneuropathy)
Clinical examination
Neurography
Electromyography
Nerve biopsy
Blod test (genetic, biochemical, or metabolic tests)
There is no curative treatment for hereditary or genetic forms
Treatment with IVIg (intravenous immunoglobulins/antibodies), corticosteroid, or cytostatics/cytotoxics for inflammatory forms
Treatment of underlying disease in metabolic polyneuropathies
Inflammatory polyneuropathies usually have good predictions if treatment is given in good time. Treatment must be started as soon as possible!
The varying prognosis for metabolic forms, due to underlying disease.
There is not good prognosis for hereditary forms, but they usually give mild symptoms and have slow progress.