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Small Fiber Neuropathy and Related Syndromes: Pain and Neurodegeneration pp 109–118Cite as

Autoimmune and Infectious Neuropathies

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Abstract

Small nerve fibers, either sensory or autonomic, are commonly involved in various immune-mediated and infectious disorders. More than 60% of patients with Sjögren’s disease or systemic lupus erythematosus and a third of patients with sarcoidosis have evidence of small fiber neuropathy on history, examination, or skin biopsy. Patients with antibody-mediated disorders, such as voltage-gated potassium channels, commonly complain of symptoms suggestive of small fiber neuropathy. On physical examination, the presence of non-length-dependent pattern of sensory loss suggests an immune-mediated disorder, while patchy nerve fiber involvement suggests a vasculitic etiology. Infectious disorders such as leprosy, hepatitis C virus, and HIV virus remain common causes of small fiber neuropathy. Therapeutic interventions will focus on treatment of the underlying disease with symptomatic management of the pain and autonomic symptoms.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology Division, Internal Medicine Department, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Ahmad R. Abuzinadah

  2. Neurology Department, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Christopher H. Gibbons

Authors
  1. Ahmad R. Abuzinadah
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  2. Christopher H. Gibbons
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher H. Gibbons .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Sung-Tsang Hsieh

  2. Department of Neurology, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK

    Praveen Anand

  3. Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Christopher H. Gibbons

  4. Neurologische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg , Würzburg, Germany

    Claudia Sommer

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Abuzinadah, A.R., Gibbons, C.H. (2019). Autoimmune and Infectious Neuropathies. In: Hsieh, ST., Anand, P., Gibbons, C., Sommer, C. (eds) Small Fiber Neuropathy and Related Syndromes: Pain and Neurodegeneration. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3546-4_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3546-4_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

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  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-3546-4

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