What Is New in Peripheral Neuropathy? Recent Advances in Diagnosis and Management: Advances in Peripheral Neuropathy20
Authors
Dr. Jharna MahajanFiles
Abstract
Peripheral neuropathy represents one of the most common neurological disorders encountered in clinical practice and includes
a heterogeneous group of conditions affecting sensory, motor, and autonomic nerves. Traditional classification based primarily
on etiology often provides limited guidance in the early diagnostic evaluation of patients presenting with neuropathic symptoms.
Recent advances in neurophysiology, imaging, molecular diagnostics, and targeted therapeutics have significantly transformed the
approach to peripheral neuropathy. A phenotype-based clinical framework emphasizing pattern recognition, fiber type involvement,
and biomarker-guided investigations can facilitate more efficient identification of treatable neuropathies. Novel diagnostic modalities
such as skin biopsy for quantification of intraepidermal nerve fiber density, corneal confocal microscopy for assessment of small
fiber pathology, and next-generation sequencing for hereditary neuropathies have expanded the diagnostic armamentarium. At the
same time, the therapeutic landscape has evolved substantially with the development of disease-modifying therapies for hereditary
transthyretin amyloidosis, advances in immunotherapy for immune-mediated neuropathies, and emerging neuromodulation strategies
for refractory neuropathic pain. Recognition of antibody-mediated nodo-paranodopathies and the development of RNA-based
therapies illustrate the growing role of precision medicine in peripheral nerve disorders. This review provides a practical overview of
contemporary advances in peripheral neuropathy with emphasis on clinical pattern recognition, modern diagnostic evaluation, and
current as well as emerging therapeutic strategies relevant to day-to-day clinical practice.
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