Table 1

Clinical descriptions of patients

Patients	Age (y)	Duration of disease (y)	Clinical features	Electrophysiology	Other laboratory features	Diagnosis
Max FT, maximum finger-thumb opposition rate; IVIg, intravenous immunoglobulin; SNAP, sensory nerve action potential; EMG, electromyography; NCV, nerve conduction velocity; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; ND, not done; NA, not available (another hospital).
Motor neuropathy:
1	47	13	Asymmetric muscle wasting and weakness. Good response to IVIg	Normal SNAPs	Anti GM1 negative	Multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block
				Motor conduction block
			Max FT=1 Hz
2	46	17	Asymmetric leg then progressive distal arm weakness and wasting. Good response to IVIg	Normal SNAPs	Anti GM1 positive	Multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block
				EMG: asymmetric denervation
			Max FT=2 Hz	NCV: asymmetric motor nerve slowing.
3	66	16	Progressive leg weakness and wasting. Good response to IVIg	Normal SNAPs	CSF protein 1.85 g/l	Symmetric pure motor demyelinating neuropathy
				EMG: chronic partial denervation	Anti GM1 negative
			Max FT=4 Hz	NCV: Motor slowing
4	44	8	Progressive asymmetric arm and leg weakness and wasting. Good response to IVIg	Normal SNAPs	Anti GM1 negative	Multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block
				NCV: focal condution block
			Max FT=4 Hz
5	60	5	Progressive asymmetric arm and leg weakness. Good response to IVIg	Normal SNAPs	Anti GM1 negative	Multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block
				NCV: Focal conduction block
			Max FT=4 Hz
6	78	9	Progressive asymmetric arm and leg weakness. Good response to IVIg	Normal SNAPs	Anti GM1 negative	Multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block
				NCV: focal conduction block	Biopsy: axonal neuropathy
			Max FT=3 Hz
Sensory neuropathy:
7	59	4	Ascending sensory loss with relative presentation of pinprick sensation. Steroid responsive	SNAPs decreased or absent	Anti GQI_b negative	Idiopathic pure sensory neuropathy
				EMG normal	Anti GMI negative
				NCV: no motor slowing
8	61	11	Progressive asymmetric numbness of upper limbs. Myotonic pupils without sicca syndrome	SNAPs decreased or absent	Anti Hu negative	Sensory ganglionitis
				Motor NCV normal
9	62	8	Asymmetric ascending numbness	SNAPs absent	IgM λ peak	Idiopathic pure sensory neuropathy
					Anti GQ1_b positive
10	51	18	Ascending numbness. autonomic impairment.	SNAPs absent	Anti GQ1_b positive	Idiopathic pure sensory neuropathy
			IVIg responsive	Motor NVC normal
Inclusion body myositis:
11	74	12	Profound symmetric weakness finger flexors and quadriceps	NA	CK 510 IU/l	IBM
					Muscle biopsy consistent with IBM
12	62	7	Mild symmetric weakness of finger flexors and marked weakness of quadriceps	NA	CK 650 IU/L	IBM
					Muscle biopsy consistent with IBM
13	50	6	Mild asymmetric weakness of elbow and finger flexion. Moderate symmetric quadriceps weakness	NA	CK 600 IU/l	IBM
					Muscle biopsy consistent with IBM
14	66	9	Mild symmetric weakness to finger flexion. Moderate symmetric weakness to hip flexion and knee extension. Dysphagia	Normal SNAPs	CK 319 IU/l	IBM
				EMG: myopathic changes and denervation	Muscle biopsy consistent with IBM