A neuropathic syndrome of uncertain origin; review of 100 cases.

A neuropathic syndrome with features which do not conform to any recognised disease pattern has been known to occur in the West Indies for some years. It was first recorded by Strachan in 1888, and there have been other brief accounts since. The most detailed comes from Scott (1918) who called the condition a “Central Neuritis”. A similar syndrome has been reported from North and West Africa, Trinidad, Malaya, India, Java, Hong Kong and Spain during the Spanish Civil War (Spillane and Scott, 1945; Stannus, 1911; Moore, 1946; Money and Scott-Smith, 1955; Metevier, 1947; Pallister, 1940; Nichols, 1935; Hobbs and Forbes, 1946; and Crawford and Reid, 1947; Peraita, 1942). Dietary deficiency or imbalance is regarded as the main causative factor. The clinical features of 100 cases investigated at the University College Hospital of the West Indies since 1953 are to be presented and the aetiology discussed. It has not been possible to assess the incidence of the disease in the island but all the cases came through routine hospital channels and no attempt has been made to collect them from other hospitals or clinics. Most cases came from widely scattered country areas and there was no evidence of concentration in any given part. The sex and age incidence, the presenting features, the results of investigations and a rough assessment of the patient’s dietary are recorded. There is an equal sex incidence and the age distribution is fairly even from 15 to 60 with some rise in the 35 – 40 group. A Neuropathic Syndrome of Uncertain origin Review of 100 cases EK Cruickshank