title: Contribution of nerve biopsy to unclassified neuropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnostic yield of nerve biopsy in patients with peripheral neuropathy of undetermined cause despite extensive diagnostic workup.
  
  
  METHODS
  From November 2001 through January 2004, 38 patients underwent nerve biopsy because of unclassified neuropathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The etiology of the neuropathies could be defined in 14 patients (37%), i.e. in 15% of chronic symmetric, 30% of chronic asymmetric, 50% of subacute symmetric and 62.5% of subacute asymmetric neuropathies. The biopsy was diagnostic in 6 patients (16%), where it showed a vasculitis, and supportive in 8 patients (21%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The contribution of nerve biopsy to the diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy was highest in acute and subacute asymmetric forms of neuropathy and lowest in chronic symmetric forms. The main indication for nerve biopsy remains the diagnosis of vasculitic neuropathy, a potentially treatable disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland. kaschweikert@uhbs.ch
authors.forename: Kathi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schweikert
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fuhr
authors.forename: Alphonse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tolnay
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Renaud
authors.forename: Andreas J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Steck
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*