Drinking habits and peripheral alcoholic neuropathy

Abstract

Drinking habits of 156 consecutive polyneuropathic and 106 consecutive pressure palsy patients were evaluated in retrospect. Respectively, 46 patients (30%) had alcohol polyneuropathy and 32 (30%) got pressure neuropathy while being drunk and these patients were analyzed in more detail. Most of the patients with alcoholic neuropathies were men, those with polyneuropathy being older than those having pressure palsies. Pressure neuropathy coincided with alcoholic polyneuropathy in 13 patients (28%). Other medical complication of heavy alcohol drinking (i.e. liver diseases, seizures and cerebellar signs) were seen in 54% of the patients with polyneuropathy and in 6% of the patients with pressure palsies. Heavy drinking prolonged the disability due to pressure palsy. The present study confirms the significant role of alcohol abuse in etiology of peripheral neuropathies. Heavy drinking seems to worsen the prognosis of these neuropathies.