Ethanol and polyneuropathy.

Two groups of alcoholics (30 patients each)--identified by the MALT score--were examined. Clinical and laboratory investigations showed no connection between thiamine, riboflavin, or Vitamin B6 deficiency and development of the polyneuropathy. Neither the polyneuropathy nor the diminished sensory conduction velocity were related to malnutrition. The relation between the duration of alcoholism and symptoms of polyneuropathy was highly significant in one group. The neurotoxicity of ethanol was confirmed in an experiment with rats.