NECROTIZING PERIPHERAL-NERVE VASCULITIS

Necrotizing vasculitis of the type in polyarteritis nodosa is a treata ble cause of neuropathy. The diagnosis must be confirmed histologicall y by demonstration of characteristic arterial lesions in nerve and mus cle biopsy specimens. Ischemic neuropathy which results from occlusion of nerve arteries in polyarteritis nodosa also occurs as a consequenc e of inflammatory arterial lesions in other connective tissue disorder s, in some infectious neuropathies and in patients with malignant lymp homas. Patients with vasculitic neuropathy may also present with isola ted peripheral neuropathy.