Drinking habits and peripheral alcoholic neuropathy

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Abstract
Drinking habits of 156 consecutive polyneuropathic and 106 consecutive pressure palsy patients were evaluated retrospectively. Respectively, 46 patients (30%) had alcoholic polyneuropathy and 32 (30%) got pressure neuropathy while being drunk; these patients were analyzed in more detail. Most of the patients with alcoholic neuropathies were men, those with polyneuropathy being older than those having pressure palsies. Pressure neuropathy coincided with alcoholic polyneuropathy in 13 patients (28%). Other medical complications of heavy alcohol drinking (i.e., liver diseases, seizures and cerebellar signs) were seen in 54% of the patients with polyneuropathy and in 6% of the patients with pressure palsies. Heavy drinking prolonged the disability due to pressure palsy. The significant role of alcohol abuse in etiology of peripheral neuropathies is confirmed. Heavy drinking seems to worsen the prognosis of these neuropathies.