The Global Burden of Polyneuropathy-In Need of an Accurate Assessment

Elafros et al discuss the need of an accurate assessment of polyneuropathy. Up to 7% of adults have polyneuropathy symptoms, which can result from metabolic and nutritional disorders, toxins, and autoimmune, infectious, and hereditary causes, among others. Despite this, the global burden of polyneuropathy remains largely unknown. In addition to enumerating mortality, the original Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) study was designed to quantify disability resulting from nonfatal medical conditions so that they could be objectively prioritized by public health and policy makers. In the US, disorders of the peripheral nervous system, of which polyneuropathy is the most common, account for more than 10% of neurology visits per year.