[Acquired metabolic neuropathies (2): Kidney failure, hypothyroidism and hypoglycemia]

This is the second part of a review article on metabolic neuropathies. The frequency and severity of neuropathy due to chronic renal failure have dramatically decreased during the last ten years, as a result of improvement in management of patients with renal failure, even though the mechanism leading to development of the neuropathy is not well understood. Measurement of nerve conduction velocity does not appear to be appropriate to the detection of axonal neuropathy and follow-up of patients with neuropathy associated with chronic renal failure. Peripheral neuropathy observed in association with hypoglycaemia and with hypothyroidism are briefly reviewed.