title: Advances in diagnostics and outcome measures in peripheral neuropathies.
abstract: Peripheral neuropathies are a group of acquired and hereditary disorders presenting with different distribution and nerve fiber class involvement. The overall prevalence is 2.4%, increasing to 8% in the elderly population. However, the frequency may vary depending on the underlying pathogenesis and association with systemic diseases. Distal symmetric polyneuropathy is the most common form, though multiple mononeuropathies, non-length dependent neuropathy and small fiber neuropathy can occur and may require specific diagnostic tools. The use of uniform outcome measures in peripheral neuropathies is important to improve the quality of randomized controlled trials, enabling comparison between studies. Recent developments in defining the optimal set of outcome measures in inflammatory neuropathies may serve as an example for other conditions. Diagnostic and outcome measure advances in peripheral neuropathies will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Spaarne Hospital, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ingemar S J
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Merkies
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Catharina G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.affiliation: 3rd Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: glauria@istituto-besta.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lauria
mesh_terms: D003943:Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological; D006801:Humans; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Cardiac scintigraphy; Confocal corneal microscopy; Evoked potential; Imaging; Neuropathy; Outcome measures; Quantitative sensory testing; Skin biopsy; Sodium channel genes; Ultrasounds