EDS & Small Fiber Neuropathy

[Belbyr]

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/869008

Interesting to see a MD report that 20 of 20 patients with various types of EDS have small fiber damage.

 

[Mohawk1995]

Very interesting report indeed! Especially that while Nerve Conduction studies of large nerves (standard test for neuropathies) were all negative in these subjects, ALL of them were found to have small fiber neuropathies. As a physical therapist working for years on patients with "nerve" complaints including pain, tingling, crawling, numbness and other parasthesias, it was always interesting to see the number of patients who had negative Nerve Conduction studies. Worst cases were those who were told the "nerves are fine". They most likely were not fine.

As it relates to this disease (which has an unusual presentation - sound familiar!) it is interesting that EDS patients with so many musculoskeletal issues have such consistent results to nerve biopsies. Underscores to me the importance of continuing to "look upstream" which leads to the nervous system both peripheral and central (the two are inseparable).

 

[*GG*]

I was diagnosed with small fiber polyneuropathy by Dr. Oaklander in Boston, MA.

Wonder if I can find the paperwork on that?

GG

 

[pattismith]

The prevalence of SFN is also high in Fibro:


Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2019
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of small fiber pathology in fibromyalgia: Implications for a new paradigm in fibromyalgia etiopathogenesis.
Grayston R1, Czanner G2, Elhadd K3, Goebel A4, Frank B4, Üçeyler N5, Malik RA6, Alam U7.
.
Abstract

RESULTS:
Database searches found 935 studies; 45 articles were screened of which 8 full text articles satisfied the inclusion criteria, providing data from 222 participants. The meta-analysis demonstrated the pooled prevalence of SFP in fibromyalgia is 49% (95% CI: 38-60%) with a moderate degree of heterogeneity, (I2 = 68%).
The prevalence estimate attained by a skin biopsy was 45% (95% CI: 32-59%, I2 = 70%) and for corneal confocal microscopy it was 59% (95% CI: 40-78%, I2 = 51%).
CONCLUSION:
There is a high prevalence of SFP in fibromyalgia. This study provides compelling evidence of a distinct phenotype involving SFP in fibromyalgia. Identifying SFP will aid in determining its relationship to pain and potentially facilitate the development of future interventions and pharmacotherapy.