Open AccessA Cross-sectional Study on Electrophysiological Evaluation of Neuropathy in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Author(s) -
Ravinder Pal Singh,
P V Sripadma,
Vaibhav Mathur,
Sujata Ganguly
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of clinical and diagnostic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2249-782X
pISSN - 0973-709X
DOI - 10.7860/jcdr/2021/48418.14836
Subject(s) - medicine , subclinical infection , peripheral neuropathy , rheumatoid arthritis , cross sectional study , nerve conduction study , population , nerve conduction velocity , entrapment neuropathy , carpal tunnel syndrome , surgery , nerve conduction , diabetes mellitus , pathology , environmental health , endocrinology
Introduction: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic multisystem immune mediated disease. Rheumatoid associated neuropathy causes significant disability and adds to the economic burden. Aim: To assess clinical determinants of peripheral neuropathy (diagnosed electrophysiologically using nerve conduction studies) among patients with RA. Additionally, it was also aimed to study the various patterns of peripheral neuropathy in patients with RA. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 consecutive adult patients with RA between 01stFebruary, 2020 to 02nd January, 2021 at medicine and neurology departments of SMS Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were followed and eligible patients after appropriate laboratory evaluation underwent nerve conduction studies. Statistical analysis was performed using student’s unpaired t-test and Chi-square test for continuous and categorical variables respectively. Results: Mean age of the study population was 42.4±14.2 years with 88 females and 12 males. Mean duration of RA was 7.0±7.4 years. Nerve conduction studies detected neuropathy in 18 patients, of these only four patients were symptomatic with tingling, pins and needles sensation and numbness. Fourteen patients had subclinical neuropathy. Patients with neuropathy had significantly longer disease duration (p=0.0001), were older (p=0.014) with more joint deformities (p=0.0008). Conclusion: Subclinical neuropathy is not infrequent in RA patients. Those with advanced age, longer disease duration, higher Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), erosions and deformities should be assessed electrophysiologically for neuropathy.