title: Axonal multifocal motor neuropathy without conduction block or other features of demyelination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conduction block is considered an essential finding for the distinction between motor neuropathies and lower motor neuron disorders. Only a small number of reports describe patients with multifocal motor neuropathies who lack overt conduction block, although in these cases other features of demyelination still suggest the presence of a demyelinating disorder. In contrast, a purely axonal multifocal motor neuropathy has not been described.
  
  
  METHODS
  This report describes nine patients with slowly or nonprogressive multifocal motor neuropathies who had purely axonal electrodiagnostic features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GM1 antibodies titers were normal in all nine cases. Six patients were treated with either prednisone or IV immunoglobulin and three showed convincing improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest an immune-mediated motor neuropathy with axonal electrophysiologic features that appears to be distinct from both multifocal motor neuropathy and established motor neuron disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Palo Alto VA Medical Center and Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA. jskatz@stanford.edu
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Barohn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kojan
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Nations
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Saperstein
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Amato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology*; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D011241:Prednisone