[Clinicoelectrophysiological characteristics of peripheral nerves with paraproteinemia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinicoelectrophysiological characteristics of paraproteinemic neuropathy (PPN). METHODS: Retrospective analyses were performed for the clinical data, including clinical characteristics, laboratory and neural electrophysiological examinations, of hospitalized patients with definitively diagnosed PPN from 2008 to 2012. Their objective parameters were compared between different sub-groups. RESULTS: There were 12 males and 8 females with an average age of 52 years. The average clinical course was 14 (2-36) months. The types were IgM monoclonal gammopathy (MG) (n = 2, 10%), IgG MG (n = 10, 50%), IgA MG (n = 7, 35%) and λ light chain MG (n = 1, 5%). This cohort had predominant sensory and axonal polyneuropathy with distal involvement. And the subtype of IgA and IgG manifested predominant sensory and axonal polyneuropathy. CONCLUSION: The PPN patients have predominant sensory, axonal and distal symmetric polyneuropathy with clinical heterogeneities. PPN must be suspected even if sensory impairment and demyelination are not the dominant features. For patients with peripheral neuropathy, typing of monoclonal immunoglobulins should be routinely performed.