Polyneuropathies in teenagers: A clinicopathological study of 45 cases

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Neuromuscul Disord. 2006 Apr 7

Polyneuropathies in teenagers: A clinicopathological study of 45

cases.

Kararizou E, Karandreas N, Davaki P, Davou R, Vassilopoulos D.

Section of Neuropathology, Neurological Clinic of University of

Athens, Aeginition Hospital, 72-74, Vass. Sofias Avenue, 11528

Athens, Greece.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the causes of

polyneuropathy in teenagers and to describe some characteristic

clinical, laboratory, electrophysiological and pathological features.

Forty-five patients with peripheral nervous disorders aged 13-19 were

studied. Hereditary polyneuropathy of different types was diagnosed

in 28 patients (62%), nine showed chronic inflammatory demyelinating

polyneuropathy (CIDP) and two showed vasculitic neuropathy. In two

more cases polyneuropathy was attributed to toxic agents, while among

the rest, one was diagnosed as metachromatic leucodystrophy (juvenile

type), one as adrenoleucodystrophy, one as porphyric neuropathy and

one as Fabry disease. The high incidence of hereditary neuropathies

in teenagers differs from that in adults, but is similar to that

encountered in children. In our study, CIDP appears to be a frequent

cause of neuropathy in teenagers, while the other causes are broadly

similar to those found in studies concerning children rather than

adults.