title: Non-length dependent small fiber neuropathy. a prospective case series.
abstract: We report the features of non-length dependent small fiber neuropathy (SFN) and compare them to those with distal length-dependent SFN. In a series of 224 consecutive neuropathy patients, we evaluated 44 patients with SFN diagnosed in the presence of both symptoms and signs. Eleven were classified as non-length dependent SFN. Disease associations were Sjögren's syndrome (two patients), impaired glucose tolerance, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis C virus, Crohn's disease, and idiopathic (five patients). In the 33 patients with distal SFN, the age of onset was significantly older and more had impaired glucose metabolism (16/33). In both groups, pain was mainly characterized as burning, but patients with non-length dependent SFN more often reported an "itchy" quality and allodynia to light touch.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy. franco.gemignani@unipr.it
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gemignani
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giovanelli
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vitetta
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santilli
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bellanova
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brindani
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marbini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D005947:Glucose