Treatment of an acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy with propionate in a 33-year-old male

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to report a case of an acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN) treated with propionate to evaluate its therapeutic potential in AMSAN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patient was investigated by clinical examination, electroneurography, high-resolution nerve ultrasound and confocal corneal microscopy at baseline and the 2 month follow up. We compared the outcome with those of five other patients with acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) and AMSAN of who were referred to our neurology department in the past 5 years. RESULTS: Considering the poor prognosis of patients with acute axonal neuropathies and in comparison with the previously treated patients with AMAN or AMSAN in our clinic, the regression of our patient’s symptoms and the improvement in the additional examinations under propionate seemed exceptionally good. CONCLUSION: Propionate may have an additional therapeutic effect in autoimmune inflammatory neuropathies.