title: Sensory neuropathy associated with primary biliary cirrhosis. Histologic and morphometric studies.
abstract: Sensory symptoms can develop in the course of primary biliary cirrhosis. They have been attributed to xanthomatous infiltrates of the nerves. We report a case of a young woman suffering from pure sensory neuropathy starting at a time when evidence of liver disease was minimal. Histologic and morphometric studies of sural nerve biopsy specimens obtained from calf and ankle showed a dying-back type of axonal degeneration predominantly affecting large myelinated fibers. No lipid-containing cells were seen, which raises the possibility that other mechanisms related to primary biliary cirrhosis are involved in the pathogenesis of the neuropathy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000473:pathology*; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012677:Sensation; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000473:pathology