Vasculitic neuropathy is a peripheral neuropathic disease.[1][2][3] In a vasculitic neuropathy there is damage to the vessels that supply blood to the nerves.[1][2][3] It can be as part of a systemic problem or can exist as a single-organ issue only affecting the peripheral nervous system (PNS).[1][2][3] It is diagnosed with the use of electrophysiological testing, blood tests, nerve biopsy and clinical examination. It is a serious medical condition that can cause prolonged morbidity and disability and generally requires treatment. Treatment depends on the type but it is mostly with corticosteroids or immunomodulating therapies.

Vasculitic neuropathy
SpecialtyNeurology

Types

edit

There are three main categories of vasculitic neuropathies: primary, secondary and non-systemic.[2]

Primary systemic vasculitic neuropathy

edit

Some patients with systemic vasculitis will have their multi-organ disease spread to the peripheral nervous system; this is primary vasculitic neuropathy. Some examples of systemic vasculitic disease are: IgA vasculitis, Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis, polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitides such as granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA).[1][3]

Vasculitic neuropathy secondary to other disease

edit

Some patients with a non-vasculitic systemic disease or another illness such as infection or malignancy can subsequently develop vasculitic neuropathy as a direct consequence of the former illness; this is secondary vasculitic neuropathy. Some examples of such illness which can cause vasculitic neuropathy are:[citation needed]

Non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy

edit

Non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy (NSVN) is a diagnosis of elimination. When no systemic illness can be found, yet evidence of a vasculitic neuropathy exists, a diagnosis of non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy is made. It is a single-organ problem. A nerve biopsy is required in order to make the diagnosis of non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy.

There are distinct subtypes of NSVN with evolving categorisation in the literature. Currently accepted subtypes are:[2][3]

  • 'Classical' distal-predominant NSVN
  • Wartenberg migratory sensory neuropathy
  • Post-surgical inflammatory neuropathy
  • Diabetic radiculoplexus neuropathy (lumbosacral, thoracic or cervical predominant)
  • Neuralgic amyotrophy
  • Non-systemic skin/nerve vasculitis (for example, cutaneous PAN)

'Classical' distal-predominant NSVN

edit

There is an ongoing debate over this categorisation, particularly its overlap with the condition non-diabetic radiculoplexus neuropathy. This neuropathy involves a clinical picture where the nerve damage is distally predominant as demonstrated in a nerve biopsy.[3]

Warternberg migratory sensory neuropathy

edit

Warternberg migratory sensory neuropathy is typically a multi-focal neuropathy where there is pure sensory deficits. It is characterised by sudden-onset and chronicity as well as having a propensity for relapse. It generally resolves slowly with time.[3]

Postsurgical inflammatory neuropathy

edit

Postsurgical inflammatory neuropathy is typically a multi-focal neuropathy which manifests thirty days after a surgical procedure. It mostly presents with motor and sensory symptoms. It is generally a self-limiting condition that has resolved with and without treatment.[3]

Diagnosis

edit

Diagnosis of a vasculitic neuropathy depends on whether the patient first presents with multiple symptoms pointing at a systemic disorder or else primary neuropathic complaints. In the former case the patient is more likely to be assessed first by a rheumatologist and in the latter a neurologist or neurosurgeon.[citation needed]

Treatments

edit

Treatment of vasculitic neuropathy depends on the type.[citation needed]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Graf, Jonathan; Imboden, John (January 2019). "Vasculitis and peripheral neuropathy". Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 31 (1): 40–45. doi:10.1097/BOR.0000000000000559. ISSN 1040-8711. PMID 30461543. S2CID 53943955.
  2. ^ a b c d e Collins, Michael P.; Dyck, P. James B.; Hadden, Robert D.M. (October 2019). "Update on classification, epidemiology, clinical phenotype and imaging of the nonsystemic vasculitic neuropathies". Current Opinion in Neurology. 32 (5): 684–695. doi:10.1097/WCO.0000000000000727. ISSN 1350-7540. PMID 31313704. S2CID 197423473.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Collins, Michael P.; Hadden, Robert D. (May 2017). "The nonsystemic vasculitic neuropathies". Nature Reviews Neurology. 13 (5): 302–316. doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2017.42. ISSN 1759-4758. PMID 28447661.