EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND CLINICAL-FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OF DYSMETABOLIC POLYNEUROPATHIES
Vol. 6 No. 9 (2026) 23-28
Abstract
This narrative review summarizes current approaches to early diagnosis and clinical-functional phenotyping of dysmetabolic polyneuropathies. Diabetes, chronic kidney disease, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid dysfunction and other metabolic disturbances may injure small, large and autonomic nerve fibres in different combinations. Because nerve-conduction studies primarily assess large myelinated fibres, a normal study does not exclude early small-fibre neuropathy. A layered assessment combining history, neurological signs, nerve conduction, quantitative sensory and autonomic tests, intraepidermal nerve-fibre density and targeted laboratory investigation is therefore required. Red flags for inflammatory, hereditary, toxic or focal neuropathies are also discussed.
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References
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