Polyneuropathies in intestinal diseases

Abstract

Different aspects of polyneuropathies (PN) developed due to the deficit of group B vitamins in intestinal diseases are considered. Neurological disturbances related to intestinal diseases are caused by malabsorption that leads to the deficit of some compounds extremely important for normal cell metabolism, pathological changes of mucous coat of the stomach and intestine and higher sensitivity to the plant protein gluten. Vitamin B12 deficit can lead to a number of neurological disturbances; patients with pernicious anemia most often develop myelopathy and PN. An increase in serum vitamin B1 concentration is identified in 30—80% of patients with alcoholism. However, vitamin B1 deficit is seen also in ulcer disease, chronic gastritis, acute pancreatitis, esophageal metastatic lesions as well as in primary tumors of the stomach and intestine. Demyelinating as well as axonal PN may develop in patients with enteropathy. Gluten intolerance is the most often cause of PN in pathological changes in the intestine Possibilities of clinical and paraclinical diagnosis of these disorders are analyzed.