Phoenix Neurological Associates, Phoenix, Arizona 85018, USA.
Int J Neurosci. 2013 Jan;123(1):38-41. doi: 10.3109/00207454.2012.723652. Epub 2012 Oct 3.
To assess the usefulness of skin biopsy in the assessment of patients with suspeted small fiber neuropathy (SFN).
Retrospective chart review of patients with sensory symptoms or findings restricted to small nerve fibers and normal nerve conduction studies (NCS) seen in a subspecialty neuromuscular private practice.
Assessments were made on 145 patients. Skin biopsy was abnormal in at least one site in 86 patients (59%). There was no significant difference between patients with normal or abnormal skin biopsies with respect to age, gender, or duration of symptoms. Compared to patients with normal skin biopsies, patients with confirmed SFN were significantly more likely to have pain and were more than twice as likely to respond to standard neuropathic pain medications.
Skin biopsy is useful in the diagnosis and management of patients with otherwise unexplained sensory symptoms or findings.
评估皮肤活检在疑似小纤维神经病（SFN）患者评估中的作用。
对在神经肌肉专科私人诊所就诊的、感觉症状或发现仅限于小神经纤维且神经传导研究（NCS）正常的患者进行回顾性图表审查。
共评估了 145 名患者。86 名患者（59%）的至少一个部位皮肤活检异常。皮肤活检正常或异常的患者在年龄、性别或症状持续时间方面无显著差异。与皮肤活检正常的患者相比，确诊为 SFN 的患者更有可能出现疼痛，并且对标准神经病理性疼痛药物的反应可能性是前者的两倍多。
皮肤活检对诊断和治疗原因不明的感觉症状或发现具有重要作用。
