Neurophysiological Characteristics of Upper Extremity Neuropathy in Three Young Patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I and II in a Five-Year Observation—A Case Series Study
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
3.1. Neurophysiological Findings—Median and Ulnar Nerve CMAP Analysis
3.2. Neurophysiological Findings—Median and Ulnar Nerve SNAP Analysis
3.3. Neurophysiological Findings—Needle Electromyography
4. Discussion
4.1. Neurophysiological Findings
4.2. Clinical Implications
4.3. Study Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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| Variable | Patient 1 | Patient 2 | Patient 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | Male | Male |
| Age at first ENG examination period (years) | 5 | 7 | 19 |
| Height at first/last ENG examination period (cm) | 110/120 | 133/158 | 166/171 |
| Variant of MPS | MPS I Hurler syndrome | MPS II Hunter syndrome | MPS II Hunter syndrome |
| Enzyme deficiency | alpha-L-iduronidase (IDUA) | iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS) | iduronate-2- sulfatase (IDS) |
| ERT/age of first dose (year) | +/5 | +/6 | +/12 |
| HSCT | + | + | + |
| Clinical features | |||
| Short posture | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Facial dysmorphism and scaphocephalic skull | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Skeletal deformities | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Upper extremities deformities: claw hands, broad hands | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Surgical treatment of CTS | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Neurological symptoms: | |||
| Upper extremities sensory abnormalities | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Atrophy of hand intrinsic muscles | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wasting and weakness in the hand muscles | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Pain syndrome | ND | ND | According to the distribution of the median nerve and lumbo-sacral spinal level |
| Other features able to cause possible neuropathy | 0 | 0 | Lipomatosis |
| Intellectual disability | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Behavior disability—aggressive and auto-aggressive symptoms, psychomotor hyperactivity | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Low mood and depressive states | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Median Nerve | Ulnar Nerve | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMAP | SNAP | CMAP | SNAP | |
| Recording electrode placement | Abductor pollicis brevis (active electrode on the muscle belly, reference electrode on the muscle tendon) | Middle area of the wrist | Abductor digiti minimi (active electrode on the muscle belly, reference electrode on the muscle tendon) | Medial area of the wrist |
| Stimulation points | Wrist Cubital fossa Arm | Second and third digit | Wrist Elbow—cubital tunnel Arm | Fifth digit |
| Electrical stimulus intensity | Individually adapted to achieve supramaximal potentials (from 20 to 100 mA) | 20 mA | Individually adapted to achieve supramaximal potentials (from 20 to 100 mA) | 20 mA |
| Test | ENG Parameter | Controls (Healthy Children Aged 4–6 Years) | Patient 1 (Aged 5 Years) MPS I | Patient 2 (Aged 7 Years) MPS II | Patient 3 (Aged 19 Years) MPS II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Injured Upper Extremities CMAP n = 18 SNAP n = 18 | Symptomatic Side | Symptomatic Side | Symptomatic Side | ||
| Median nerve CMAP | Amplitude (mV) | 6.96 ± 2.33 | 3.2 | 6.0 | 2.2 |
| Latency (ms) | 2.56 ± 0.29 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 6.2 | |
| Median nerve SNAP | Amplitude (µV) | 14.04 ± 5.99 | 4.9 | 16 | NP |
| SCV (m/s) | 50.72 ± 3.6 | 51.0 | 43.2 | NP | |
| Ulnar nerve CMAP | Amplitude (mV) | 5.50 ± 1.55 | 6.1 | 5.7 | 10.0 |
| Latency (ms) | 2.03 ± 0.25 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 3.5 | |
| Ulnar nerve SNAP (SCV) | Amplitude (µV) | 7.35 ± 2.12 | 14.0 | 17.0 | 6.5 |
| SCV (m/s) | 50.25 ± 3.0 | 37.7 | 54.3 | 52.3 |
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Wiertel-Krawczuk, A.; Krawczuk, Z.; Huber, J. Neurophysiological Characteristics of Upper Extremity Neuropathy in Three Young Patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I and II in a Five-Year Observation—A Case Series Study. Neurol. Int. 2026, 18, 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint18020032
Wiertel-Krawczuk A, Krawczuk Z, Huber J. Neurophysiological Characteristics of Upper Extremity Neuropathy in Three Young Patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I and II in a Five-Year Observation—A Case Series Study. Neurology International. 2026; 18(2):32. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint18020032
Chicago/Turabian StyleWiertel-Krawczuk, Agnieszka, Zofia Krawczuk, and Juliusz Huber. 2026. "Neurophysiological Characteristics of Upper Extremity Neuropathy in Three Young Patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I and II in a Five-Year Observation—A Case Series Study" Neurology International 18, no. 2: 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint18020032
APA StyleWiertel-Krawczuk, A., Krawczuk, Z., & Huber, J. (2026). Neurophysiological Characteristics of Upper Extremity Neuropathy in Three Young Patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I and II in a Five-Year Observation—A Case Series Study. Neurology International, 18(2), 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint18020032

