[Chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy and B6 hypervitaminosis]

Abstract

We report a 62-year-old patient who presented with a several month history of a peripheral sensory neuropathy with ataxia that was attributed to a chronic immune demyelinating polyneuropathy but was resistant to corticosteroid therapy. Diagnostic workup finally showed a high serum level of pyridoxin related to a chronic intake of oral vitamin medication for several years. We discuss the link between the clinical and electrophysiological manifestations of the chronic polyneuropathy, based on similar reported observations in the literature. This observation highlights the possibility of important long-term deleterious effects of vitamin oral supplementations, particularly pyridoxin.