Laboratory Abnormalities in Polyneuropathy and Electrophysiological Correlations

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Electrophysiology
• Laboratory Medicine

Background:

• Polyneuropathy is a common neurological disorder with diverse causes.
• Identifying laboratory abnormalities and their electrophysiological correlations is crucial for diagnosis and management.
• Previous studies may not fully capture the prevalence of certain abnormalities in specific patient cohorts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of laboratory test abnormalities in patients with polyneuropathy.
• To investigate the correlations between these laboratory findings and electrophysiological results.
• To compare the observed frequencies of certain abnormalities with previously reported data.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 226 patients diagnosed with polyneuropathy.
• Analysis of laboratory test results, including glucose handling tests, paraproteinemia, and anemia.
• Correlation analysis between laboratory findings and electrophysiological assessments, focusing on median neuropathy at the wrist.

Main Results:

• Abnormal glucose handling tests were the most frequent finding (54%).
• Paraproteinemia (21%) and anemia (21%) were also common, with frequencies higher than previously reported.
• Several laboratory abnormalities showed significant correlations with electrophysiological evidence of median neuropathy at the wrist.

Conclusions:

• Abnormal glucose handling, paraproteinemia, and anemia are prevalent in polyneuropathy.
• The elevated frequency of paraproteinemia and anemia in this cohort warrants further investigation.
• Laboratory derangements have demonstrable deleterious effects on peripheral nerves, particularly at the wrist.