A case of diabetic polyneuropathy complicated with entrapment neuropathy of the bilateral ulnar nerves due to osteoarthrosis at the elbow]

We report a 61-year-old man with diabetic polyneuropathy and bilateral ulnar nerve palsy due to osteoarthrosis in the elbow. He was diagnosed as having non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (DM) at 40 years of age. At 56 years of age, he developed muscle atrophy and weakness predominantly in the distal parts of his upper limbs. A neurological examination showed him to have severe atrophy and weakness in the muscles innervated by the ulnar nerve bilaterally. He also had paresthesia on the distal parts of all four limbs. Superficial and deep sensory deficits were observed in the lower limbs. A motor nerve conduction study showed a marked reduction in the motor conduction velocity as well as in the amplitude of the action potentials of both ulnar nerves. Roentgenograms of the elbow joints and grooves for the ulnar nerve revealed marked osteophyte formation bilaterally. The bilateral ulnar nerve palsy was thus considered to be due to the entrapment of the nerve by the osteophyte. Since several studies have suggested the existence of a relationship between DM and osteoarthropathy, it is important to check for the possible presence of osteoarthrosis in cases of diabetic neuropathy complicated with entrapment neuropathy.     

A case of motor and sensory polyneuropathy with retinitis pigmentosa and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis]

We here report a 53-year-old man who presented with motor and sensory polyneuropathy, retinitis pigmentosa and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). He had a 15-year history of diabetes mellitus (DM). Visual impairment appeared at 17 years of age. Since age 47, he showed a slowly progressive sensory impairment and muscle weakness of the extremities. On neurological examination, retinitis pigmentosa and severe muscle atrophy, muscle weakness and sensory disturbance of all modalities in the distal portions of all four extremities were observed. Deep tendon reflexes were absent. A plain X-P showed diffuse ossification of the spinal and extraspinal ligaments. The motor nerve conduction velocities were severely reduced and no sensory nerve action potentials were evoked. The CSF examination revealed an increased protein level without pleocytosis. The sural nerve biopsy showed a marked onion bulb formation and a loss of the myelinated nerve fibers, which could not be solely explained by DM. As the phytanic acids levels, beta-lipoprotein, lactate and pyruvate in the sera were within the normal ranges, Refsum disease, Bassen-Kornzweig syndrome and mitochondrial diseases were unlikely in this patient. The presence of demyelinating and axonal polyneuropathy in this patient may have been caused by a common metabolic disturbance which produced both retinitis pigmentosa and DISH.     

Alcoholic neuropathy: Clinical,electrophysiological, and biopsy findings

Nerve conduction and biopsy findings from the sural nerve in 37 patients with alcohokic neuropathy were compared with findings in 6 patients who had neuropathy associated with postgastrectomy malnutrition. Half the patients with alcoholic neuropathy had both muscle weakness and sensory loss, half had only sensory impairment, but all had electromyographic signs of denervation. Only half the patients, with or without muscle weakness, had signs of malnutrition. In alcoholics, sural nerve conduction velocity was slowed to at most 60% of normal, correlating with loss of large fibers. These findings, together with a marked reduction in amplitude of the sensory potentials, are consistent with axonal loss. Myelinated fiber counts showed loss of small and large fibers in most nerves, retaining a bimodal distribution. Signs of regeneration were rare. Segmental demyelination was found in only 0.3% of teased fibers. Electron microscopy confirmed axonal degeneration of myelinated and unmyelinated fibers. Neuropathy after gastrectomy malnutrition was clinically similar to alcoholic neuropathy. Conduction velocities were slower than expected from the diameter of the largest myelinated fibers, however, and teased fibers showed segmental demyelination. The findings are against alcoholic neuropathy being due to malnutrition and suggest a toxic action on peripheral nerve.     

Familial bulbo-spinal muscular atrophy associated with testicular atrophy and sensory neuropathy (Kennedy-Alter-Sung syndrome). Autopsy case report of two brothers

Autopsy cases of two brothers with bulbo-spinal muscular atrophy associated with gynecomastia, testicular atrophy and sensory neuropathy are reported. The disease started with finger tremor, proximal muscle weakness and facial muscle twitching at the second and fourth decades, accompanied by bulbar signs and glove-stocking type sensory disturbance. Systemic neurogenic patterns and diminished sensory nerve action potential amplitudes were recorded by electrophysiological studies. A marked loss of myelinated fibers was noticed upon sural nerve biopsy. Gonadal hormone values were normal, except for elevated urinary estrogen. Postmortem examinations revealed a remarkable degeneration of the facial and hypoglossal nuclei, and the spinal cord motoneurons. The skeletal muscles and the tongue showed neurogenic muscular atrophy with fatty replacement. Testicular atrophy was prominent showing hyalinized seminiferous tubuli with nodular and diffuse Leydig cell hyperplasia, containing estrogen immunoreactive substance. These clinical and histological features seemed to be highly compatible with those of Kennedy-Alter-Sung type bulbo-spinal muscular atrophy. The involvement of sensory peripheral nerves, however, was a distinct feature of this family.     

Fatigue and abnormal neuromuscular transmission in Kennedy's disease

We describe a patient with Kennedy's disease (X-linked bulbospinal neuronopathy) who experienced leg muscle fatigue with long-distance running. The patient also reported muscle twitching involving the face and extremities and long-standing muscle cramps. Aside from mild facial and tongue weakness (and fasciculations), his examination was normal, including completely preserved muscle strength in the extremities. Electrodiagnostic evaluation revealed evidence for a chronic motor axonopathy/neuronopathy and abnormal sensory nerve action potentials. In addition, repetitive nerve stimulation studies were normal, but neuromuscular jitter tested in the same muscle was markedly abnormal. The normal clinical strength and repetitive nerve stimulation studies in a muscle showing markedly increased neuromuscular jitter suggested a mechanism for this patient's symptoms of muscle fatigue, related to failure of neuromuscular transmission at a critical number of endplates during extremes of physical activity.     

Motor neuropathy associated with a facilitating myasthenic syndrome

We report a patient with progressive muscle weakness, areflexia, and no sensory loss. Electromyography revealed normal sensory nerve conductions, mild slowing of motor nerve conduction velocities, low amplitude compound muscle action potentials, a neuromuscular transmission defect characterized by prominent facilitation, and diffuse fibrillation potentials. Muscle biopsies showed acute denervation atrophy, and at autopsy, there was anterior horn cell loss and gliosis in the spinal cord. The findings suggest the coexistence of a motor neuropathy and a facilitating myasthenic syndrome.     

核黄素反应性脂质沉积性肌病伴感觉共济失调性神经病3例报告

目的研究核黄素反应性脂质沉积性肌病伴感觉共济失调性神经病的临床、电生理、病理和基因改变特点。方法 3例男性患者来自2个家系,其中2例为兄弟,发病年龄41～43岁,主要症状是四肢肌无力,伴随双足麻木和行走不稳。查体发现四肢近端肌力下降、末梢性感觉丧失和Romberg征阳性。3例患者的血尿代谢筛查均提示存在血多种脂酰肉碱水平升高和尿戊二酸水平增高。3例患者均进行了神经电生理、肌肉活检以及电子转移黄素蛋白脱氢酶(ETFDH)基因检查,2例进行腓肠神经活检。结果 3例患者的肌电图分别出现肌源性损害、可疑神经源性损害和无异常。3例患者的四肢感觉神经传导速度显著减慢或不能引出,运动神经传导速度仅在1例出现轻度减慢。3例患者的骨骼肌均可见肌纤维内脂肪滴显著增多,2例有个别破碎红纤维,2例出现小角状肌纤维。2例患者的腓肠神经均可见有髓神经纤维中-重度减少,伴随有髓神经纤维轴索变性和再生。3例患者均携带ETFDH基因的复合杂合突变,其中2兄弟为c.65A>G和c.242T>C,另1例为c.770A>G和c.1450 T>C。结论 ETFDH基因突变导致的核黄素反应性脂质沉积性肌病可以伴随感觉共济失调性神经病。     

Spinal accessory neuropathy,droopy shoulder,and thoracic outlet syndrome

Droopy shoulder has been proposed as a cause of thoracic outlet syndrome. Two patients developed manifestations of neurovascular compression upon arm abduction, associated with unilateral droopy shoulder and trapezius muscle weakness caused by iatrogenic spinal accessory neuropathies following cervical lymph node biopsies. The first patient developed a cold, numb hand with complete axillary artery occlusion when his arm was abducted to 90 degrees. The second patient complained of paresthesias in digits 4 and 5 of the right hand, worsened by elevation of the arm, with nerve conduction findings of right lower trunk plexopathy (low ulnar and medial antebrachial cutaneous sensory nerve action potentials). Spinal accessory nerve grafting (in the first patient) coupled with shoulder strengthening physical exercises in both patients resulted in gradual improvement of symptoms in 2 years. These two cases demonstrate that unilateral droopy shoulder secondary to trapezius muscle weakness may cause compression of the thoracic outlet structures.     

Length-dependent weakness and electrophysiological signs of secondary axonal loss in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy

In chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) the pathophysiology underlying permanent muscle weakness and sensory loss was studied in 22 stabilized long-term CIDP patients clinically characterized using isokinetic dynamometry, quantitative sensory testing, and neuropathy scores. Conduction velocity (CV), distal latency (DLAT), minimal F-wave latency (FLAT), compound muscle action potential (CMAP), and amplitude decay between distal and proximal stimulation sites were determined in the median, ulnar, peroneal, and tibial motor nerves and sensory CV and nerve action potentials in the median and sural nerves. Amplitude of CMAP and the DLAT were related to quantitative muscle strength, whereas CV, FLAT, amplitude decay, and dispersion were not consistently related to strength. Furthermore, CMAP and muscle strength were significantly more reduced distally than proximally. In conclusion, the electrophysiological signs of axonal loss and the associated length-dependent muscle weakness suggest secondary axonal loss in addition to primary demyelination in CIDP.     

Focal posterior interosseous neuropathy in the presence of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy,type I

A 30-year-old male with hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, type I (HMSN I), presented with asymmetric weakness of finger extension and radial deviation with left wrist extension, previously felt to be a manifestation of the peripheral neuropathy. Nerve conduction studies confirmed HMSN I; however, needle EMG revealed marked, ongoing axonal loss in muscles innervated by the left posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) only. At surgery there was focal fusiform swelling in the PIN at exit from the supinator muscle, compatible with localized hypertrophic neuropathy, which has not been reported before in HMSN I. A concomitant focal mononeuropathy should be considered in cases of hereditary neuropathy with marked asymmetry of weakness. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A pedigree of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 4F (Periaxin mutation)]

We report a 51-year-old man genetically diagnosed as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 4F. The patient was the first child of healthy, consanguineous parents. He had two sisters and one of them showed similar but milder symptoms. He had gait disturbance since childhood. Then he noticed muscle weakness of his hands at the age of early forties, and more difficulties in gait at the age of late forties. On examination at age 51, he showed absence of all deep tendon reflexes, weakness of the hand and distal leg muscles, pes cavus and decreased sensitivity to touch and vibration in the lower extremities. Electrophysiological studies of the median nerve showed delayed motor nerve conduction velocity and undetectable sensory nerve action potentials. The histology of his sural nerve revealed moderate loss of large myelinated fibers and the diameters of residual fibers shifted to small shown as size-frequency histogram. Many fibers are thinly myelinated and some of the Schwann cells looked as wrapping around the myelinate fibers with their processes. On gene analyses, we identified an Arg 1070 Stop homozygous mutation in the Periaxin, known to be a causative gene for CMT type 4F. Based on these observations, we emphasized that broad genetic analyses are necessary for diagnosis of CMT disease, including so far unidentified mutations among the Japanese populations.     

Loss-of-function phenotype of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) provides a human model to investigate the role of PMP22 in myelinated peripheral nerve, since the disease is caused by a deletion of one of the two PMP22 alleles. To systematically characterize the phenotype of HNPP, we prospectively evaluated the clinical features and electrophysiological findings in 17 genetically confirmed patients, 7 men and 10 women, ranging in age from 9 to 66 years (mean, 41 +/- 13). Fifteen symptomatic patients presented with episodes of transient focal weakness or sensory loss that were usually related to particular activities causing nerve compression, including stretching or minor repetitive focal trauma. No patient sought medical attention for symptoms of a symmetric polyneuropathy. Neurological examinations were either normal or mildly abnormal. Neither focal slowing of nerve conduction studies, nor reduction in compound muscle action potential (CMAP) or sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitudes consistently predicted the site of symptoms. We conclude that the majority of patients with HNPP present with transient, recurrent, focal symptoms of weakness or sensory loss in the distribution of individual nerves or plexus, and that a diffuse symmetric sensorimotor polyneuropathy is an unusual presentation of HNPP. These studies suggest that the function of PMP22, at least in part, is to stabilize myelin so that it will be protected from injuries resulting from repetitive, minor trauma.     

An axonal form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease showing distinctive features in association with mutations in the peripheral myelin protein zero gene (Thr124Met or Asp75Val)

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: Seven families were studied with an axonal form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) associated with mutations in the peripheral myelin protein zero (MPZ) gene-Thr124Met or Asp75Val. RESULTS: Patients with these mutations commonly showed relatively late onset sensorimotor neuropathy predominantly involving the lower limbs. Sensory impairment typically was marked, and distal muscle atrophy and weakness were also present in the legs. Adie's pupil and deafness were often present, and serum creatine kinase concentrations were often raised irrespective of which MPZ mutation was present. Relatively well preserved motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities contrasted with reduced or absent compound muscle action potentials and sensory nerve action potentials. Axonal change with marked axonal sprouting was seen in sural nerve specimens. CONCLUSION: The similar associated clinical findings suggest that patients with axonal CMT with an MPZ gene mutation share distinctive clinical features.     

A case of CIDP with horizontal gaze-evoked nystagmus and ataxia]

A 46-year-old man developed mild to moderate weakness in the distal muscles of lower limbs and then had gradually progressive weakness and sensory loss in four limbs. He subsequently developed difficulty in walking over a few months. Examination showed severe distal muscle weakness and atrophy, but mild proximal weakness in four limbs. Superficial sensation was decreased in both distal limbs and his vibratory sense was mildly decreased in bilateral feet. All tendon reflexes were absent. Furthermore, he showed four-limb and truncal ataxia with bilateral horizontal gaze-evoked nystagmus in both directions. Nerve conduction study revealed sensorimotor neuropathy, and sural nerve biopsy showed mixed axonal damage and demyelination. Cerebrospinal fluid protein levels were raised 212 mg/dl. Lumbar spine MRI showed marked cauda equina enhancement with gadolinium. Anti-ganglioside antibodies were negative but serum antineuronal antibodies without known antigen specificity were found. Neurootological findings indicated bilateral horizontal gaze-evoked nystagmus was caused by spinocerebellar damage. We diagnosed this case was CIDP with cerebellar ataxia. After administration of high dose steroid therapy, intravenous methylprednisolone 1000 mg/day, his symptoms including ataxia and polyneuropathy were apparently improved.     

Coexistence of Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease type 1A and anti‐MAG neuropathy

At age 35, a man with a genetic diagnosis of Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) but no family history of neuropathy and no clinical symptoms developed rapidly progressive loss of balance, distal limb numbness, loss of manual dexterity, and hand tremor. Five years later, he walked with support and had mild pes cavus, marked sensory ataxia, severe leg and hand weakness, absent deep tendon reflexes (DTRs), severe sensory loss, and hand tremor. He had dramatically reduced motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), strikingly prolonged motor distal latencies, absent sensory action potentials and lower limb compound muscle action potentials. CMT1A duplication was reconfirmed but the dramatic change in his clinical course suggested a superimposed acquired neuropathy. An IgM‐kappa monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS) with high titer anti‐myelin associated glycoprotein (anti‐MAG) activity was found. Nerve biopsy showed severe loss of myelinated fibers with onion bulbs, no evidence of uncompacted myelin, and few IgM deposits. Rituximab was given and he improved. It is very likely that this is a chance association of two rare and slowly progressive neuropathies; rapidly worsening course may have been due to a “double hit”. Interestingly, there are reports of possible superimposition of dysimmune neuropathies on hereditary ones, and the influence of the immune system on inherited neuropathies is matter for debate.     

Thiamine deficiency polyneuropathy after gastrectomy associated with high level of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). A case report]

We report a 66-year-old man who developed vitamin B1 deficiency polyneuropathy long after a gastrectomy. After a preceding bronchial infection, the patient noticed numbness and weakness in his extremities, followed by generalized edema and exertional dyspnea. He had undergone subtotal gastrectomy due to duodenal ulcer at age 19. His daily oral intake of food was normal without any alcoholic abuse. He was admitted to our hospital with rapidly progressive gait disturbance due to muscle weakness, and sensory disturbance. Neurological examination showed peripheral polyneuropathy with distal dominant muscular weakness and sensory disturbance. Chest X-ray film showed marked cardiomegaly and pleural effusion. Nerve conduction studies showed decreases in the action potentials of both the motor and sensory nerves, with the sensory nerves being more severely affected than the motor nerves. Sural nerve biopsy demonstrated severe axonal degeneration without any inflammatory change. The blood concentration of thiamine (vitamin B1) was slightly decreased below the normal range (19 ng/ml; normal, 20-50), and the serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was high (890 pg/ml; normal < 200 pg/ml). Intravenous administration of vitamin B1 (50 mg per day) dramatically improved his symptoms in a few days and the level of VEGF returned to nearly normal. In this gastrectomized patient many years ago, vitamin B1 deficiency neuropathy is warranted in view of a prompt response to thiamine administration. This case suggests that VEGF is involved in the pathogenesis of vitamin B1 deficiency polyneuropathy.     

A family of early childhood-onset Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2]

We reported a man and his son with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) type 2. Their age at onset was about 5 years. Their clinical examinations revealed muscle atrophy and weakness of both distal lower limbs, foot-drop, a reduction of the reflex in both Achilles tendons and sensory impairment of the glove and stocking type. Nerve conduction studies revealed remarkably low amplitude of compound muscle action potential compared to conduction velocity. The nerve biopsy of their sural nerves revealed loss of large myelinated fiber. We presumed that the clinical features of their disease were compatible with CMT2A or 2B. DNA analysis of our family members performed with microsatellite markers linked to the candidate regions of CMT2A and 2B, did not show apparent positive results. We speculate that this family was a novel gene locus of CMT type 2.     

An autopsy case of chronic germanium intoxication presenting peripheral neuropathy, spinal ataxia, and chronic renal failure]

We report here an autopsy case of chronic germanium intoxication with major pathological changes in the central and peripheral sensory nervous systems. The patient was a 4-year-old girl who had suffered from gait disturbance and generalized muscle weakness for 22 months. She had been given orally germanium compounds (containing germanium dioxide, 225-450 mg/day) for the previous 28 months. In addition to the findings of chronic renal failure and anemia, she presented characteristic neurological symptoms exemplified by diffuse muscle atrophy, tongue fasciculation, sensory impairment and truncal ataxia as well as areflexia. Median and ulnar sensory nerve conduction velocities were also reduced. On the 17th hospital day, she died of renal failure. In addition to conspicuous degeneration of renal tubular cells, pathological studies revealed marked nerve fiber loss, degeneration and gliosis in the dorsal column of the spinal cord, which were most conspicuous in the thoracic and cervical cord. Axonal degenerative changes were also conspicuous in the sural and sciatic nerves. High concentration of germanium was detected in the brain, cerebellum, spinal cord, sciatic nerve, liver and kidney. It was suggested that the neural involvement in the current case was caused by chronic toxicity of germanium.     

A family with autosomal dominant temporal lobe epilepsy accompanied by motor and sensory neuropathy]

We report a 20-year-old man with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) accompanied by hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN). He had experienced complex partial seizures (CPS), which started with a nausea-like feeling, followed by loss of consciousness and automatism, since he was 6 years old. The frequency of attacks was at first decreased by phenytoin. However, attacks increased again when he was 18 years old. On admission, neurological examination showed mild weakness of the toes, pes cavus, hammer toe and mildly impaired vibratory sensation in his legs. Ten people in four generations of his family showed a history of epilepsy in the autosomal dominant inheritance form. His younger sister and mother had a history of epilepsy accompanied with pes cavus, hammer toe, weakness of toe and finger extension and mildly impaired vibratory sensation as well. Direct sequencing of the glioma-inactivated leucine-rich gene (LGI1), in which several mutations were reported in patients with familial lateral temporal lobe epilepsy, showed no specific mutation in this family. On consecutive video-EEG monitoring, paroxysmal rhythmic activity was confirmed in his left fronto-temporal region when he showed automatism, and then a generalized slow burst activity was detected when he lost consciousness. For his seizures, TLE with secondary generalization was diagnosed. In the nerve conduction study, delayed nerve conduction, distal motor latency and decreased amplitudes of the compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) of bilateral peroneal nerves were observed, indicating the existence of mild axonal degeneration. Based on these data, we consider that this family to be a new phenotype of autosomal dominant TLE accompanied by motor and sensory neuropathy.     

Acute painful neuropathy in thallium poisoning

Dysesthesia, allodynia, distal muscle weakness, and sensory impairment were noted in two patients with acute thallium intoxication. Two months later, nerve conduction studies showed an axonal degeneration. Sural nerve biopsy disclosed a decreased fiber density in the large myelinated fibers. Quantitative sensory testing also revealed an impairment of pinprick, temperature, and touch sensations. Cutaneous nerve biopsy confirmed a loss of epidermal nerves indicating an involvement of the small sensory nerves.