Background: Hypothyroidism is most common endocrinal disorder. The existence of hypothyroid neuropathy is a point of debate and its pathogenesis is incompletely understood.
Objective: To detect subclinical motor or sensory peripheral nerve affection among hypothyroid patients.
Methods: The study was conducted on 30 hypothyroid patients without any neurological symptoms and signs. 10 healthy subjects were included as a control group. All participants were subjected to full medical history taking thorough clinical examination; full general and neurological examination, laboratory & radiological investigations and neurophysiologic nerve conduction study.
Results: The study revealed polyneuropathy, mainly sensorimotor, in 86.6% of the patients either axonal demyelination or axonal affection. Median and peroneal nerves were the dominantly affected nerves. High incidence of entrapment neuropathy was encountered among the patients especially carpal tunnel CTS (66.67%).Conclusion: Hypothyroidism is associated with polyneuropathy,mainly of a mixed type (axonal -demyelinating type).Nerve conduction tests should be performed routinely in hypothyroid patients early in the course of the disease, even among asymptomatic patients, to minimize structural damage and disability.