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SENSORY MANIFESTATIONS IN CHARCOT‐MARIE‐TOOTH DISEASE
Author(s) -
Gemignani F.,
Ferraris A.,
Alfieri S.,
Bellanova M.F.,
Marbini A.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of the peripheral nervous system
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1529-8027
pISSN - 1085-9489
DOI - 10.1046/j.1529-8027.2000.00513-26.x
Subject(s) - medicine , disease , sensory system , neuropathic pain , polyneuropathy , pathology , neuroscience , anesthesia , psychology
Although positive sensory symptoms are classically considered a hallmark of acquired neuropathies, sensory manifestations, in particular, pain, are not uncommon in Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease (CMT). We investigated the occurrence of sensory manifestations in 35 CMT patients (15 with CMT1, 20 with CMT2). Positive sensory manifestations were reported by 18 patients (51%), and were prominent in 7 patients (20%), representing an onset symptom and/or a main feature. Non‐neuropathic (musculo‐skeletal) pain was also frequent, occurring in 48% of patients. Comparison between CMT1 and CMT2 showed that positive sensory symptoms were significantly more frequent in CMT2 (70% versus 27%; p = 0.018), representing a prominent clinical feature in 25% of CMT2 patients. Non‐neuropathic pain was more frequent in CMT1 (60%) than in CMT2 patients (40%), and represented an onset symptom and/or a main feature in 33% and 25% of patients, respectively. Sensory manifestations in CMT seem more frequent than previously thought, however their frequency may be different in the genetic subtypes of the disease. The occurrence of positive symptoms in CMT2 raises diagnostic problems with regard to acquired axonal neuropathies, and, in particular, chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy (CIAP). Sensory symptoms, in particular, pain, may represent an important issue in the management of CMT patients, especially in a physical medicine approach.