INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to document the classification of Lewis-Sumner syndrome (L-SS) based on the response to treatment and the pattern of progression over time. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 15 patients with L-SS treated for at least 12 months. RESULTS: After 1 year, intravenous immunoglobulin was effective in 7 patients, 6 were stable, and 2 worsened. After 5 years, 5 patients had improved, and 3 were stable. These 8 patients needed repeated treatment, and 2 patients gradually worsened. Two patients worsened dramatically after steroid treatment. In 3 patients the neuropathy progressed to the other limbs and developed into an asymmetric polyneuropathy. In 12 other patients the pattern remained multifocal and asymmetric. CONCLUSIONS: The possibility of decline resulting from corticosteroids, and the fact that no neurological progression toward a diffuse pattern was observed in the majority of patients suggests that L-SS is a different entity from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.
INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to document the classification of Lewis-Sumner syndrome (L-SS) based on the response to treatment and the pattern of progression over time. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 15 patients with L-SS treated for at least 12 months. RESULTS: After 1 year, intravenous immunoglobulin was effective in 7 patients, 6 were stable, and 2 worsened. After 5 years, 5 patients had improved, and 3 were stable. These 8 patients needed repeated treatment, and 2 patients gradually worsened. Two patients worsened dramatically after steroid treatment. In 3 patients the neuropathy progressed to the other limbs and developed into an asymmetric polyneuropathy. In 12 other patients the pattern remained multifocal and asymmetric. CONCLUSIONS: The possibility of decline resulting from corticosteroids, and the fact that no neurological progression toward a diffuse pattern was observed in the majority of patients suggests that L-SS is a different entity from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.
Authors: Jeffrey A Allen; Melvin Berger; Luis Querol; Krista Kuitwaard; Robert D Hadden Journal: J Peripher Nerv Syst Date: 2018-04-19 Impact factor: 3.494