01937nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260000900042653001000051653001500061653001400076653001100090653001100101653001400112653000900126653001600135653003900151653001600190100001900206700001400225700001400239700001600253700001400269245009000283300001100373490000700384520123000391022001401621       1996                            d  c199610aAdult10aAlcoholism10aCausality10aFemale10aHumans10aLeg Ulcer10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aPeripheral Nervous System Diseases10aWest Indies1 aVirevialle M H1 aBrouzes F1 aLamaury I1 aNaudillon Y1 aStrobel M00a[Mutilating acrodystrophic neuropathy of alcoholic origin in the French West Indies].  a727-310 v173 a<p>Among principal causes of acrodystrophic neuropathy-ie, leprosy, diabetes, amyloid neuropathy, hereditary sensory neuropathies-alcoholism is controversial since first descriptions (Bureau et al, 1957) incriminating heavy drinking. This retrospective review of 38 cases occurring in West-Indian rhum abusers, tends however to confirm its etiologic role. Patients present with three non specific signs or symptoms of the lower extremities: anaesthetic foot, plantar ulcers, and chronic, indolent, mutilating arthropathies. Motor function is spared. Male gender, massive (> or = 150 g pure alcohol daily) and prolonged (> or = 12 years) rhum intake, hygiene deficiency, poverty and social distress, exposition to repeated foot microtrauma and a protracted, non fatal, but disabling course leading to amputation, are the main features of this syndrome. The pathophysiology is poorly documented, and many questions remain unanswered including a genetic predisposition or a particular neuro-toxicity of West Indian rhum. However, the clinical and epidemiologic data presented here favour the concept of an "alcoholic foot" or true alcoholic acrodystrophic neuropathy, quite different from the most common sensory-motor form.</p>  a0248-8663