title: The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Uremic Neuropathy (UN) highly limits the individual self-sufficiency causing near-continuous pain. An estimation of the actual UN prevalence among hemodialysis patients was the aim of the present work.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 225 prevalent dialysis patients from two Italian Centers. The Michigan Neuropathy Score Instrument (MNSI), already validated in diabetic neuropathy, was used for the diagnosis of UN. It consisted of a questionnaire (MNSI_Q) and a physical-clinical evaluation (MNSI_P). Patients without any disease possibly inducing secondary neuropathy and with MNSI score ≥ 3 have been diagnosed as affected by UN. Electroneurographic (ENG) lower limbs examination was performed in these patients to compare sensory conduction velocities (SCV) and sensory nerve action potentials (SNAP) with the MNSI results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  37 patients (16.4%) were identified as being affected by UN, while 9 (4%) presented a score < 3 in spite of neuropathic symptoms. In the 37 UN patients a significant correlation was found between MNSI_P and SCV (r2 = 0.1959; p < 0.034) as well as SNAP (r2 = 0.3454; p = 0.027) both measured by ENG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UN is an underestimated disease among the dialysis population even though it represents a huge problem in terms of pain and quality of life. MNSI could represent a valid and simple clinical-instrumental screening test for the early diagnosis of UN in view of an early therapeutic approach.
authors.affiliation: Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi Bologna, Endocrinology Unit, L. Sacco Hospital, Milano, Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mambelli
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrella
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Facchini
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sicuso
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bainotti
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Formica
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santoro
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000503:physiopathology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014511:Uremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy