@article{3092285,
    title = "Axonal sensorimotor neuropathy in patients with beta-thalassaemia",
    author = "Stamboulis, E and Vlachou, N and Drossou-Servou, M and Tsaftaridis, P and and Koutsis, G and Katsaros, N and Economou-Petersen, E and and Loutradi-Anagnostou, A",
    journal = "JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY",
    year = "2004",
    volume = "75",
    number = "10",
    pages = "1483-1486",
    publisher = "BMJ Publishing Group",
    doi = "10.1136/jnnp.2003.024794",
    abstract = "Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence
of peripheral neuropathy in patients with beta-thalassaemia.
Methods: Thirty six patients with a mean age of 29.2 +/- 8.2 years and
17 healthy controls with a mean age of 27.6 +/- 9.1 were included in
this study. Measurements included the neuropathy symptoms score (NSS),
the neuropathy disability score (NDS) as well as nerve conduction
studies of two motor ( ulnar and peroneal) and two sensory ( ulnar and
sural) nerves of the right limbs.
Results: A mainly sensory axonal polyneuropathy was present in 19 out of
36 patients (52.7%). Eight out of these 19 patients also had abnormal
NDS values. The neuropathy correlated significantly with the age of the
patients and the hematocrit. However, it did not correlate with the
presence of antibodies against HCV, the ferritin levels, or with a
history of transfusions, desferrioxamine treatment, or splenectomy.
Conclusions: This study showed a high prevalence of a predominantly
sensory neuropathy in patients with beta-thalassaemia. The
electrophysiological data suggest that the underlying pathology is an
axonopathy. Chronic hypoxia of the nerves resulting from severe anaemia
may contribute to the pathogenesis of this neuropathy."
}