Acute autonomic and sensory neuropathy.

A previously well 9-year-old boy developed acute autonomic and sensory neuropathy. Recovery was incomplete over a thirteen-month period. Spinal fluid protein was increased during the acute phase. Sensory nerve potentials were absent in the presence of normal motor and mixed nerve conduction velocities. Sural nerve biopsy revealed marked axonal degeneration of myelinated as well as unmyelinated fibers. This case represents a widespread acute ganglionopathy of unknown cause.