[Treatment of multifocal motor neuropathies with conduction block in France in 2005. Results of a national opinion survey].
BACKGROUND
The epidemiology of multifocal motor neuropathies (MMNs) is unknown. Prevalence is estimated at 1-2/100,000 population.


METHODS
The objective of this study was to gain knowledge on MMN diagnosis and treatment in metropolitan France. An opinion survey was conducted by SOFRES from November 2004 to March 2005 on 4,040 hospital and private practice physicians (215 interviewed directly and 3,825 contacted only by mail) using two questionnaires (one for hospital physicians [HPs] and the other for physicians working for the most part in private practice [PPPs]). SOFRES received 424 questionnaires, 392 of which were included in the study, 32 having been excluded for incomplete responses, giving a high response rate for this type of survey.


RESULTS
The 392 responses were made up of 296 for the HPs and 96 for the PPPs. The HPs were neurologists (56 percent), followed by internists (23 percent), and rheumatologists (13 percent), while the PPPs were nearly all neurologists (96 percent). One of the most interesting results was the number of patients seen during a physician's career: 1,964, comprising 1,557 for the HPs, and 407 for the PPPs. The responses describing care in terms of diagnosis and treatment generally complied with good practices as well as the recommendations and guidelines published in the field of MMN.


CONCLUSIONS
MMN is a rare disorder whose prevalence in France, estimated by this survey, comes close to that published in the literature; diagnosis and treatment seem globally satisfactory.
Léger
J-M
JM
Centre de Référence Maladies Neuromusculaires Rares, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris. jean-marc.leger@psl.aphp.fr
Beaudet
R
R
Bonnélye
G
G
D018450:Disease Progression; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D015417:Hereditary Sensory and Motor Neuropathy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D011331:Private Practice; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous