Demyelinating neuropathy and acute lymphocytic leukemia.

We report a 67-year-old man with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) who developed a rapidly progressive areflexic quadriparesis following chemotherapy. Electrophysiologic studies demonstrated an acute demyelinating polyneuropathy. Although peripheral nervous system dysfunction in ALL is often attributed to leukemic infiltration or chemotherapy, a diligent search with electrophysiologic evaluation should be considered and may suggest alternative diagnoses.