Sural nerve pathology in ALS patients: a single-centre experience.
Neurol Sci
; 33(5): 1095-9, 2012 Oct.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22203334
ABSTRACT
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive degenerative disease of upper and lower motor neurons. Sensory involvement is thought not to be a feature of ALS. We reviewed 17 cases of sural nerve biopsies performed in a large cohort of ALS patients referred to our centre over a 23-year period. More than two-third of biopsies revealed a variable degree of axonal loss. In one case, pathological findings suggested the concomitant presence of an inherited neuropathy, subsequently confirmed by genetic evaluation. In another case, pathological and neurographic data were similar to those of an inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy, but the clinical course corroborated the diagnosis of ALS. Our data confirm that sensory nerve involvement may be found in ALS patients. This finding should prompt physicians to carefully investigate a possible alternative diagnosis, but does not exclude the possibility that the patient may have ALS.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Nervo Sural
/
Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Periférico
/
Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica
Limite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2012
Tipo de documento:
Article