Peripheral neuropathy in acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans - a late Borrelia manifestation

Acta Neurol Scand. 1997 Jun;95(6):338-45. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1997.tb00222.x.

Abstract

Clinical and/or neurophysiological signs of peripheral neuropathy were found in 64% of 63 consecutive untreated patients with the late borrelial manifestation acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA). The neuropathy frequency was significantly higher in the patients than in 30 age- and sex-matched control persons of whom 27% had neuropathy findings. The most common neuropathy in ACA was a symmetric distal sensory polyneuropathy. In a subgroup of patients with localized or asymmetric neuropathy, the changes were found more often in extremities with than without visible ACA lesions. Neuropathy symptoms, most often pain and/or paresthesia, were present in 64% of the patients, compared to in 13% of the control persons. Thus, both symptoms and signs of neuropathy were significantly more frequent in patients with untreated ACA than in control subjects.

MeSH terms

  • Acrodermatitis / epidemiology*
  • Acrodermatitis / microbiology
  • Acrodermatitis / pathology
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Borrelia burgdorferi Group / isolation & purification
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Comorbidity
  • Extremities / pathology
  • Extremities / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hyperalgesia / pathology
  • Hyperalgesia / physiopathology
  • Hypesthesia / pathology
  • Hypesthesia / physiopathology
  • Lyme Disease / complications*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain / classification
  • Pain / pathology
  • Pain / physiopathology
  • Paresthesia / pathology
  • Paresthesia / physiopathology
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / etiology
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / pathology
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / physiopathology
  • Prevalence
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Factors
  • Sweden / epidemiology