Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Oct 31.
Published in final edited form as: JAMA Neurol. 2015 Dec;72(12):1510–1518. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2015.2347

Table 1.

Common causes of rare subtypes of peripheral neuropathy

Localization Condition

Diffuse, non-length dependent neuropathy
 Demyelinating sensory motor AIDP
CIDP
CIDP variants
 POEMS
 IgM anti-MAG neuropathy
 Waldenstrom's acroglobulinemia
 MGUS
Diptheria
Toxic exposures (hexane, arsenic, amiodarone)
 Demyelinating sensory Sensory CIDP or AIDP
DADS (IgM anti-MAG neuropathy)
 Demyelinating motor MMN
 Axonal sensory motor Toxic exposures
ASMAN
AIP
 Axonal sensory Paraneoplastic (Hu, CRMP-5, amphyphisin)69
Sjögren's syndrome
Chemotherapy (platinum based, bortezomib)
Vitamin B6 toxicity
Idiopathic
HIV, HTLV
Autoimmune hepatitis
Celiac disease
HSAN
Friedrich's ataxia
CANVAS
SANDO
CANOMAD
 Axonal motor ALS
PMA
Post-polio syndrome
HIV, HTLV, WNV, Enterovirus D68
MMN without conduction block
Radiation
Monomelic amyotrophy
HMN
SMA (including Kennedy's syndrome)
Complicated HSP

Multiple mononeuropathies Systemic vasculitic neuropathy
 Microscopic polyangiitis
 Wegener's granulomatosis
 Polyarteritis nodosa
 Churg-Strauss syndrome
 Cryoglobulinemia
 Sjögren's syndrome
 Rheumatoid arthritis
 SLE
Non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy
Neoplasm (malignant and benign)
HNPP
Sarcoidosis
Amyloidosis
MMN
MADSAM

Polyradiculopathy Compressive
 Disc herniation/spondylosis
 Osteomyelitis
 Neoplasm
Non-compressive
 Infection (CMV, VZV, Lyme, tuberculosis)
 Inflammatory (sarcoidosis)
 Neoplastic (leukemia, lymphoma)
 Radiation

Plexopathy Compressive
 Neoplasm
 Hemorrhage
Non-compressive
 Infection (VZV, HSV, CMV, Lyme)
 Inflammatory (sarcoidosis)
 Neoplastic (leukemia, lymphoma)
 Radiation

Radiculoplexus neuropathy Diabetic lumbar (diabetic amyotrophy)
Diabetic cervical
Post-surgical inflammatory
Non-diabetic lumbar or cervical
Infection (VZV, HSV, CMV, Lyme)
Inflammatory (sarcoidosis)
Neoplastic (leukemia, lymphoma)
Radiation

AIDP=acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, CIDP= chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, POEMS=polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes, MGUS=monoclonal gammopathy of unclear significance, DADS=distal acquired demyelinating syndrome, MMN=multifocal motor neuropathy, ASMAN=acute sensory motor axonal neuropathy, AIP=acute intermittent porphyria, HIV=human immunodeficiency virus, HTLV=human T-lymphotrophic virus, HSAN=hereditary sensory autonomic neuropathy, CANVAS=cerebellar ataxia neuropathy vestibular areflexia syndrome, SANDO=sensory ataxia neuropathy dysarthria ophthalmoplegia, CANOMAD=chronic ataxic neuropathy, ophthalmoplegia, monoclonal IgM protein, cold agglutinins, disialosyl antibodies, ALS=amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, PMA=progressive muscular atropgy, WNV=West Nile virus, HMN=hereditary motor neuropathy, SMA=spinal muscular atrophy, HSP=hereditary spastic paraplegia, SLE=systemic lupus erythrematosus, HNPP=hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies, MADSAM=multifocal acquired demyelinating sensory and motor neuropathy, CMV=cytomegalovirus, VZV=varicella zoster virus, HSV=herpes simplex virus