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Endoneural vessel involvement in hypothyroidism

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Abstract

Light-microscope findings and pathological ultrastructural changes in sural nerve biopsies from two patients affected by hypothyroidism, one with overt signs of peripheral neuropathy, the other asymptomatic, were studied. In both patients the endoneural vessels showed clear pathological changes similar to those of other metabolic neuropathies, but more marked in the symptomatic patient. It is proposed that the changes observed in the nerve fibers in hypothyroid neuropathy are secondary to changes in the endothelial cells and in the vessel wall.

Sommario

Sono state studiate al microscopio ottico ed elettronico le biopsie del nervo surale di due pazienti affette da i-potiroidismo, con storie cliniche differenti in quanto, mentre in un caso era presente una polineuropatia conclamata, nel secondo non vi erano segni di interessamento nervoso periferico. Poiché in entrambi i casi sono state messe in evidenza solo differenze quantitative nell'entità delle lesioni riscontrate a carico dei vasi dell'endonervio, si formula l'ipotesi che la neuropatia sia secondaria all'interessamento vascolare.

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Cavaletti, G., Guazzi, M., Marcucci, A. et al. Endoneural vessel involvement in hypothyroidism. Ital J Neuro Sci 8, 259–264 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02337484

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