Causes of a mononeuritis multiplex syndrome (i.e. a constellation of asymmetric, asynchronous, signs of peripheral neuropathy—i.e. lower motor neurone weakness and/or sensory loss—located in space). Mononeuritis multiplex is a fancy name to describe the presentation of multiple isolated peripheral neuropathies.
Symptoms of a peripheral neuropathy might include
- Numbness, tingling, or abnormal sensation
- Burning pain – dysesthesia
- Difficulty moving a body part – paralysis
- Poorly controlled movement of a body part
Signs of a peripheral neuropathy
Loss of sensation and movement may be consistent with dysfunction of specific nerves so that the presentation may be that of a named peripheral nerve such as common peroneal, ulnar nerve, or peroneal nerve, dysfunction, for instance. Instead, the lesion may involve higher levels in nerve pathways of the peripheral nervous system or even involve the autonomic nervous system.¹
Causes of a Mononeuritis Multiplex
A hodge-podge (forgive the term) of diseases can cause seemingly random occasions of isolated peripheral neuropathy in more than one location and at different times, but in general think vasculitis and more specifically think polyarteritis nodosa.
- vasculitis
- polyarteritis nodosa (PAN)
- Churg-Strauss (EGPA) and Weber (GPA) syndrome
- cryoglobulinaemia
- systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
- Sjogren’s syndrome, scleroderma, Behcet’s disease
- diabetes mellitus
- amyloidosis
- malignancy
- others:
- sarcoidosis
- leprosy
- syphilis
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