title: Chronic cryptogenic polyneuropathy. The search for a cause.
abstract: 91 patients with chronic symptoms of polyneuropathy without any previously known underlying disorder underwent extensive clinical and laboratory investigations in an attempt to reveal the cause of the polyneuropathy. A definite or probable origin of polyneuropathy was detected in only 8 patients (9%) and a possible but questionable cause was found in 16 (17%), while the cause in 74% remained undetermined. In only 1 patient could effective treatment be instituted. No evidence was found for an association between polyneuropathy and reduced glucose tolerance without manifest diabetes mellitus. The findings suggest that only a limited investigation is justified in most cases of chronic polyneuropathy without obvious cause.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology