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Peripheral neuropathies in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A multicenter prevalence study

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Abstract

To investigate the prevalence and type of peripheral neuropathies (PNP) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we studied lung function and blood gases, clinical signs of PNP, and neurophysiological function in 151 patients with COPD without known risk factors for PNP. Mean (SD) age was 65 (10) years, mean arterial PO2 was 59 (9) mmHg, mean ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second to vital capacity (FEV1.0/VC) was 42 (12)%. Thirty patients (20%) had clinically detectable and 6 (4%) had subclinical PNP of mild degree. Fourteen (9%) of the patients with clinically detectable PNP had symptoms due to PNP. Prevalence of PNP increased with severity of hypoxemia (p<0.05) and was more pronounced in the lower than in the upper limbs. Age and the degree of hypoxemia were predictors to differentiate between COPD patients with and without PNP. Although the cause of PNP in COPD patients remains unknown, our observations suggest that chronic hypoxemia may contribute to PNP.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Krankenhaus Grosshansdorf, Zentrum für Pneumologie and Thoraxchirurgie, LVA Hamburg, Grosshansdorf, Germany

    D. Nowak, A. Wywiol & H. Magnussen

  2. Servier Forschung und Pharma-Entwicklung GmbH, München

    M. Brüch

  3. Institut de Recherches Servier, Neuilly, France

    F. Arnaud

  4. Medizinische Hochschule, Abteilung Pneumologie, Hannover

    H. Fabel & D. Kiessling

  5. Städtisches Krankenhaus Bad Reichenhall, II. Medizinische Abteilung, Bad Reichenhall, Germany

    D. Nolte & M. Rolke

  6. Pneumologische Funktionseinheit, Medizinische Universitäts-Poliklinik, Bonn

    A. Overlack

  7. Berufsgenossenschaftliche Krankenanstalten “Bergmannsheil”, Universitätsklinik, Bochum

    W. T. Ulmer & I. Zimmermann

  8. Abteilung für Kardiologie, Pneumologie und Angiologie, Medizinische Klinik der Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany

    H. Worth

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  1. D. Nowak
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  2. M. Brüch
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  3. F. Arnaud
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  4. H. Fabel
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  5. D. Kiessling
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  6. D. Nolte
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  7. A. Overlack
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  8. M. Rolke
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  9. W. T. Ulmer
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  10. H. Worth
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  11. A. Wywiol
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  12. I. Zimmermann
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Nowak, D., Brüch, M., Arnaud, F. et al. Peripheral neuropathies in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A multicenter prevalence study. Lung 168, 43–51 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02719672

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