Abstract Details

Title Driving Ability Correlated with Severity of Polyneuropathy

Topic Neuromuscular and Clinical Neurophysiology (EMG)

Presentation(s) P3 - Poster Session 3 (5:30 PM-6:30 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 12-019

Objective To study the correlation between severity of polyneuropathy with rates of motor vehicle accidents (MVA).

Background Polyneuropathy commonly results in numbness, weakness, autonomic dysfunction and pain, which in combination can hinder driving ability. A previous study demonstrated neuropathy possibly increased rates of motor vehicle accidents (MVA).

Design/Methods Enrolled subject and studied them through surveys from three Neurology clinics. Each patient was grouped into either with sensory and motor symptoms or with only sensory symptoms. We also grouped subjects into mild, moderate, severe categories basedon sensory/motor deficits, pain, duration of disease, and number of ameliorating medications. Finally, comparison was made to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are matched rates of MVA.

Results Five hundred thirty seven patients were eligible, consented, and were ultimately included in the analysis. One hundred eighteen (22%) had only sensory symptoms and were in the mild category, 166 (31%) were moderate, and 253 subjects (47%) had sensory/motor symptoms with additional features and were categorized as severe. In total, 204 subjects has an MVA within the past 5 years (0.10 accidents/year). Mild patients had 3.9 MVAs per million vehicle miles driven (MVA/MVMT)(Poisson distribution probability, p>0.5), the moderate group had 11.3 (p <0.0001) and the severe group had 12.3 (p <0.0001).

Conclusions Moderate and severe polyneuropathy may be associated with elevated levels of pain, increased numbers of medications, duration of symptoms, and weakness. The associated number of MVAs were statistical significance for increased rates of MVA compared to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration age matched database. These data highlight the importance of addressing driving risks as neuropathy symptoms progress.

Authors/Disclosures
Jaime R. Lopez, MD (Stanford University School of Medicine) PRESENTER	An immediate family member of Dr. Lopez has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of AbbVie. Dr. Lopez has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology. Dr. Lopez has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as an Expert Witness for medical-legal consulting.
	No disclosure on file
Viet Nguyen, MD	Dr. Nguyen has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of Biogen. Dr. Nguyen has stock in Biogen.
Leslie H. Lee, MD, FAAN	Dr. Lee has nothing to disclose.
Scheherazade Le, MD (Stanford University)	Dr. Le has nothing to disclose.
Sungho K. Cho, MD	Dr. Cho has nothing to disclose.

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