Multiple cranial neuropathy: Clinical findings in a case series of 142 patients

Multiple cranial neuropathies (MCN) is an entity frequently seen in clinical practice but there is a lack of studies published about this entity, with most of them based on case reports and small case series.

The aim of this study is to describe the clinical involvement of different cranial nerves, the location within the central or peripheral nervous system and the diagnosis in a group of patients with MCN managed in one hospital in Bogotá-Colombia.

A case series study was conducted using the electronic clinical records of a teaching hospital in Bogota-Colombia. Clinical data were collected from patients aged ≥18 with a clinical diagnosis of MCN between 2015 and July 2021.

The cranial nerves most commonly affected were III and VII, with the most prevalent combinations being III-IV, III-VI, and V-VII. Among etiologies, the most frequently found were autoimmune, vascular and neoplastic and most common locations included peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junction, cavernous sinus and lateral medulla.

The differential diagnosis of MCN is broad, but clinical clues may aid in identifying the underlying etiology. According to our results, MG was the most frequent etiology, so it should be considered in any patient with a clinical diagnosis of MCN associated with fatigability.