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Semin Neurol 2011; 31(1): 102-114
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1271305
© Thieme Medical Publishers

The Peripheral Neuropathy Evaluation in an Office-Based Neurology Setting

Michael W. Vavra1 , Devon I. Rubin2
  • 1Tri-State Mountain Neurology Associates, Johnson City, Tennessee
  • 2Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
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Publication History

Publication Date:
14 February 2011 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Peripheral neuropathy is the most common neuromuscular disorder encountered in a neurologic practice. The evaluation of patients with suspected peripheral neuropathy can be a challenging endeavor for the neurologist. Determining the pattern of clinical involvement and the nerve modalities affected can help to generate a differential diagnosis and design an approach to determine a potential cause. The combination of clinical features, electrodiagnostic testing, and ancillary laboratory studies may be used to determine the etiology. As the most common acquired etiology of peripheral neuropathy is diabetes, careful testing for impaired glucose metabolism is an important part of any diagnostic evaluation.

KEYWORDS

Neuropathy

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Devon I RubinM.D. 

Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic

4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224

Email: Rubin.Devon@mayo.edu

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