Autonomic neuropathies. 2002

Phillip A Low
Department of Neurology, Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. low@mayo.edu

OBJECTIVE To update recent advances in the pathogenesis, pathophysiology and treatment of some autonomic neuropathies. RESULTS When evaluating a patient with subacute autonomic neuropathy, certain autoantibodies are important in diagnosis and may influence management. Ganglionic antibody may be pathogenetically important while the paraneoplastic antibodies alert the clinician to the presence of an occult neoplasm. Autonomic failure is an integral component of diabetic neuropathy. Sildenafil is safe and efficacious in treating erectile dysfunction in diabetic patients. Sympathetic cardiac hyperinnervation can occur concurrently with denervation in diabetic neuropathy The gene mutations for hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies I, III, and IV are now known and there is clear unmyelinated fiber loss. Additional options for treatment of orthostatic hypotension include erythropoietin and, surprisingly, water. Botulinum toxin is efficacious, at least for a time, for the treatment of palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis. CONCLUSIONS Ganglionic antibody likely mediates autoimmune autonomic neuropathy. Sympathetic cardiac hyperinnervation can occur and could potentially cause arrhythmia and sudden death. Knowledge of gene mutations of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies I, III and IV could lead to more secure diagnosis of the disorders. Effective treatment of essential hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin injection has been demonstrated. It might be possible to improve treatment of orthostatic hypotension acutely with water imbibation and chronically with erythropoieting.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009154 Mutation Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations. Mutations
D009477 Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies A group of inherited disorders characterized by degeneration of dorsal root and autonomic ganglion cells, and clinically by loss of sensation and autonomic dysfunction. There are five subtypes. Type I features autosomal dominant inheritance and distal sensory involvement. Type II is characterized by autosomal inheritance and distal and proximal sensory loss. Type III is DYSAUTONOMIA, FAMILIAL. Type IV features insensitivity to pain, heat intolerance, and mental deficiency. Type V is characterized by a selective loss of pain with intact light touch and vibratory sensation. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1995, Ch51, pp142-4) HSAN,HSAN Type I,HSAN Type II,HSAN Type IV,HSAN Type V,HSN Type I,HSN Type II,Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis, Congenital,Neuropathies, Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic,Pain Insensitivity with Anhidrosis, Congenital,Sensory Neuropathy, Hereditary,Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies, Hereditary,Acroosteolysis, Giaccai Type,Acroosteolysis, Neurogenic,Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis,Familial Dysautonomia, Type 2,Familial Dysautonomia, Type II,Giaccai Type Acroosteolysis,HSAN (Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy),HSAN 1,HSAN 4,HSAN 5,HSAN I,HSAN IV,HSAN V,HSAN2,HSAN5,HSANII,Hereditary Sensory And Autonomic Neuropathy IV,Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy, Type 1,Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy, Type 2,Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy, Type 4,Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy, Type 5,Hereditary Sensory Neuropathy Type 1,Hereditary Sensory Neuropathy Type I,Hereditary Sensory Neuropathy Type Ia,Hereditary Sensory Radicular Neuropathy,Hereditary Sensory Radicular Neuropathy, Recessive Form,Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy 4,Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy Type 1,Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy Type 2,Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy Type I,Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy Type II,Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy Type IV,Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy Type V,Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy, Type 4,Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy, Type 5,Insensitivity to Pain, Congenital, with Anhidrosis,Neurogenic Acroosteolysis,Neuropathy Hereditary Sensory Radicular, Autosomal Dominant,Neuropathy Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Type 1,Neuropathy, Congenital Sensory,Neuropathy, Congenital Sensory, with Anhidrosis,Neuropathy, Hereditary Sensory And Autonomic, Type I,Neuropathy, Hereditary Sensory And Autonomic, Type V,Neuropathy, Hereditary Sensory Radicular, Autosomal Dominant,Neuropathy, Hereditary Sensory Radicular, Autosomal Recessive,Neuropathy, Hereditary Sensory, Type I,Neuropathy, Progressive Sensory, Of Children,Acroosteolyses, Neurogenic,Congenital Sensory Neuropathies,Congenital Sensory Neuropathy,HSANs (Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy),HSN Type IIs,Hereditary Sensory Neuropathies,Hereditary Sensory Neuropathy,Neurogenic Acroosteolyses,Neuropathies, Congenital Sensory,Neuropathies, Hereditary Sensory,Neuropathy, Hereditary Sensory,Sensory Neuropathies, Congenital,Sensory Neuropathies, Hereditary,Sensory Neuropathy, Congenital,Type I, HSAN,Type I, HSN,Type IV, HSAN
D003928 Diabetic Nephropathies KIDNEY injuries associated with diabetes mellitus and affecting KIDNEY GLOMERULUS; ARTERIOLES; KIDNEY TUBULES; and the interstitium. Clinical signs include persistent PROTEINURIA, from microalbuminuria progressing to ALBUMINURIA of greater than 300 mg/24 h, leading to reduced GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE and END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE. Diabetic Glomerulosclerosis,Glomerulosclerosis, Diabetic,Diabetic Kidney Disease,Diabetic Nephropathy,Intracapillary Glomerulosclerosis,Kimmelstiel-Wilson Disease,Kimmelstiel-Wilson Syndrome,Nodular Glomerulosclerosis,Diabetic Kidney Diseases,Glomerulosclerosis, Nodular,Kidney Disease, Diabetic,Kidney Diseases, Diabetic,Kimmelstiel Wilson Disease,Kimmelstiel Wilson Syndrome,Nephropathies, Diabetic,Nephropathy, Diabetic,Syndrome, Kimmelstiel-Wilson
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001342 Autonomic Nervous System Diseases Diseases of the AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, including sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric nervous systems. Autonomic Disorders,Central Autonomic Nervous System Diseases,Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System,Dysautonomia,Nervous System Diseases, Autonomic,Nervous System Diseases, Parasympathetic,Nervous System Diseases, Sympathetic,Non-Familial Dysautonomia,Parasympathetic Nervous System Diseases,Peripheral Autonomic Nervous System Diseases,Sympathetic Nervous System Diseases,ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) Diseases,ANS Diseases,Autonomic Central Nervous System Diseases,Autonomic Diseases,Autonomic Nervous System Disorders,Autonomic Peripheral Nervous System Diseases,Segmental Autonomic Dysfunction,ANS Disease,Autonomic Disease,Autonomic Disorder,Autonomic Dysfunction, Segmental,Autonomic Dysfunctions, Segmental,Disorder, Autonomic,Dysautonomia, Non-Familial,Dysautonomias,Non Familial Dysautonomia,Non-Familial Dysautonomias,Segmental Autonomic Dysfunctions
D020274 Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System Disorders caused by cellular or humoral immune responses primarily directed towards nervous system autoantigens. The immune response may be directed towards specific tissue components (e.g., myelin) and may be limited to the central nervous system (e.g., MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS) or the peripheral nervous system (e.g., GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME). Antibody-Mediated Encephalitis,Autoimmune Encephalitis,Immune Disorders, Nervous System,Nervous System Autoimmune Diseases,Autoimmune Diseases, Nervous System,Autoimmune Diseases, Neurologic,Autoimmune Disorders of the Nervous System,Autoimmune Disorders, Nervous System,Autoimmune Nervous System Diseases,Immune Diseases, Nervous System,Nervous System Immune Diseases,Nervous System Immune Disorders,Neurologic Autoimmune Diseases,Antibody Mediated Encephalitis,Antibody-Mediated Encephalitides,Autoimmune Disease, Neurologic,Autoimmune Encephalitides,Encephalitis, Antibody-Mediated,Encephalitis, Autoimmune,Neurologic Autoimmune Disease

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