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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Oct 1.
Published in final edited form as: Clin Plast Surg. 2017 Jul 21;44(4):793–803. doi: 10.1016/j.cps.2017.05.010

Table 2.

Risk factors for development of peripheral neuropathy.

Study Year Study Type No. with
peripheral
neuropathy
(%)
Diagnostic criteria Findings
Henderson et al. 1971 Prospective 36 of 249 (15%) EMG/NCS Polyneuropathy was more common in burns over 20% TBSA.

Marquez et al. 1993 Retrospective 19 of 800 (2%) Clinical assessment followed by EMG/NCS Most patients with peripheral neuropathy had multiple nerves affected (three or more).
Of the patients that presented with peripheral neuropathy, 69% were severely burned with TBSA greater than 20%. The number of nerves affected correlated with the full thickness burn area.

Khedr et al. 1997 Prospective 16 of 55 (29%) EMG/NCS followed by clinical assessment Mononeuropathy multiplex was diagnosed in 56% of patients. Generalized peripheral neuropathy was noted in 31% of patients.
Higher prevalence of neuropathy associated with age > 20, burns involving full thickness wounds, and TBSA > 20%.

Kowlske et al. 2001 Retrospective 64 of 572 (11%) Clinical assessment Of the patients that presented with peripheral neuropathy, 56 patients (88%) had mononeuropathy, while 18 patients (28%) had polyneuropathy. Of these patients, 10 (16%) had both mononeuropathy and polyneuropathy.
Higher prevalence of neuropathy associated with severe burn injury in patients who were older (>40 years), critically ill, had an electrical injury, or a history of alcohol abuse.

Lee et al. 2009 Retrospective 35 of 868 (4%) Clinical assessment followed by EMG/NCS Flame injuries and full thickness burn injuries were most common in patients with peripheral neuropathy.

Tamam et al. 2013 Retrospective 47 of 648 (7%) Clinical assessment followed by EMG/NCS Of the patients with peripheral neuropathy, 68% of patients had mononeuropathy while 42% had polyneuropathy.
Most frequent etiology of mononeuropathy was low-voltage electrical injury (<1000V) (50%).

EMG, electromyography; NCS, nerve conduction study.