Clinical and Electrophysiological Characteristics of Alcoholic ?Neuropathy

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 13(3); 1995 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1995;13(3): 528-535.

알코올성 말초신경병증의 임상 및 전기생리학적 특성

이성현, 이광우, 이한보, 박성호

서울대학교 신경과, 보라매병원 신경과

Clinical and Electrophysiological Characteristics of Alcoholic ?Neuropathy

Sung Hyun Lee, M.D., Han Bo Lee, M.D., Seong Ho Park, M.D., Kwang Woo Lee, M.D.

Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University and Department of Neurology, Boramae city Hospital

Abstract

Authors analyzed clinical and electrophysiological features of 35 patients with alcoholic neuropathy who had visited the Boramae City Hospital. All patients were men. Most of the cases drank alcohol everyday. The duration of alcohol consumption is from 2 to 47 years (mean, 17.8 years). Patients with relatively short history of alcohol consumption had a tendency to take more inadequate meals. Clinically we found two distinct separable categories ; one was sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy associated with other alcoholic complications, such as Wemicke and Pellagra disease, delirium tremens, liver disease etc(24 patients). The other had subacutely progressing prominent weakness with sensory change, especially in lower extremities(ll patients). Electrophysiological studies showed decreased amplitudes of sensory or motor compound action potentials with relative preservation of conduction velocity favoring axonal neuropathy. Among the electrophysiological parameters, abnormalities in F-wave(78.3%), H-reflex(86.4%) and sural nerve conduction studies(78.8%) were more frequently observed than in others, which were thought to be more sensitive parameters with early involvement. In terms of electrophysiological pattern there were no definite diffemeces between the two groups.