Long-Time Course of Idiopathic Small Fiber Neuropathy

Abstract

Background: Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) is a challenging subtype of peripheral neuropathies. Once the diagnosis has been established, there is an uncertainty how SFN may progress, whether larger fibers will become involved over time, whether quality of life may be compromised, or whether repeated diagnostic workup in patients with unknown underlying cause may increase the yield of treatable causes of SFN. Methods: We evaluated 16 patients with documented long-time course of idiopathic SFN. Results: Clinical and electrophysiological course remained stable in 75% of the patients, while 25% SFN-patients developed large fiber neuropathies. Conclusions: Our data suggest that SFN represents a benign disease course in the majority of patients without severely limiting the quality of life