Paraneoplastic demyelinating neuropathy, subacute sensory neuropathy, and anti-Hu antibodies: clinicopathological study of an autopsy case

Muscle Nerve. 1998 Jul;21(7):850-7. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199807)21:7<850::aid-mus2>3.0.co;2-5.

Abstract

A patient with anti-Hu antibodies, small-cell lung carcinoma, and autopsy-proven subacute sensory neuropathy had early slowing of motor and sensory conduction velocities. In the peripheral nerves, chronic demyelinating and remyelinating lesions with axonal degeneration were associated with an inflammatory reaction consisting of CD8+ T cells and CD68+ macrophages. On immunohistochemical testing, the patient's serum did not react with normal nerve, suggesting that the Hu proteins were not the target of the inflammatory reaction in the nerve.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / complications
  • Demyelinating Diseases / immunology
  • Demyelinating Diseases / pathology*
  • ELAV Proteins
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Ganglia, Sensory / immunology
  • Ganglia, Sensory / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Lumbosacral Plexus / immunology
  • Lumbosacral Plexus / pathology
  • Lumbosacral Plexus / ultrastructure
  • Lung Neoplasms / complications
  • Male
  • Microtomy
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins*
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / immunology*
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / pathology*
  • Peroneal Nerve / immunology
  • Peroneal Nerve / pathology
  • Peroneal Nerve / ultrastructure
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / immunology*
  • Spinal Nerve Roots / immunology
  • Spinal Nerve Roots / pathology

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • ELAV Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • RNA-Binding Proteins