Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is not a risk factor for polyneuropathy: A prospective controlled study

Polyneuropathy has been observed in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). If polyneuropathy occurs as a complication or extrapulmonary manifestation of COPD, one would expect an increased prevalence among patients with a cryptogenic axonal polyneuropathy. This case–control study aimed to investigate the association between COPD and polyneuropathy. We prospectively included 345 patients with cryptogenic axonal polyneuropathy and 465 controls. A standardized questionnaire assessed the presence of COPD and we verified this diagnosis by contacting the family physician. The severity of COPD was based on the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease classification. The prevalence of COPD did not differ between patients with polyneuropathy and controls (15/345 vs. 12/465 respectively; odds ratio (OR) 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.8–3.7]). Adjusting for age, gender and possible confounders did not affect these results (adjusted OR 1.7, 95% CI 0.7–4.1). The severity of COPD was similar between patients with polyneuropathy and controls. This study does not support the hypothesis that COPD is a risk factor for polyneuropathy.