17.1.1 1Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, Neuromotor rehabilitation, Torino, Italy; 2Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, rehabilitation and functional recovery, Pavia, Italy; 3Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, rehabilitation and functional recovery, Lumezzane, Italy

Epidemiological studies conducted in Italy on populations over 55 have indicated a prevalence of symptomatic neuropathy equal to 3%. However, it is likely that asymptomatic neuropathies may have a much higher prevalence, especially in the older age groups.The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy (PNP) in the elderly hospitalized in the Rehabilitation Institute.277 patients (163 F and 114 M) mean age 75.7 years (range 35 - 96) admitted to our Rehabilitation Institute were included in the study. Patients were stratified into three groups: “young” (<65 years), "young - old" (65 - 79 years) and "old - old" (≥ 80 years). We used a combination of neuropathic symptoms, neuropathic signs and abnormal nerve conduction studies to provide a most accurate diagnosis of polyneuropathy. 157 patients were hospitalized for orthopedic reasons and 120 for vascular pathologies. Based on the clinical and electrophysiological evaluation 54.9% (152 patients) were diagnosed with PNP, of which only 9.7% had a known diagnosis of PNP, while 45.1% were diagnosed during hospitalization.

25 patients were included in the “young” group (15 F and 10 M), mean age 57.9 (range 35-64), which 21 were hospitalized for orthopedic causes and 4 for vascular diseases. 16% were diagnosed with PNP, 8% with known diagnosis of PNP.

150 patients were included in the "young - old" group (80 F and 70 M) mean age 72.9 (range 65-79), 83 were hospitalized for orthopedic causes and 67 for vascular diseases. 52.7% were diagnosed with PNP, only 10% with known diagnosis before hospitalization.

102 patients were included in the "old - old" group (68 F and 34 M) mean age 84.5 (range 80 - 96), which 53 were hospitalized for orthopedic causes and 49 for vascular diseases. 67.6% were diagnosed with PNP, only 9.8% with known diagnosis of PNP while in the rest 57.8% was diagnosed during hospitalization.

Several diseases and factors have been associated with polyneuropathy as: diabetes (23.7%), renal failure (8.6 %), thyroid dysfunction (11.2%), malignancy (8.6%), hepatitis C(4.6%), vitamin deficiency(3,9%), alcohol (0,7% ), systemic diseases (tissue disorder, vasculitis, monoclonal gammopathies) (3,3%), hereditary (1,3%).

These factors should be considered as component causes, and not as one sufficient cause.

Our study showed that the distribution of neuropathy is age-related and increase in the elderly. Prevalence of polyneuropathy in our cohort of patients ranges from 16% in the “young group” to 67.6% in the “old-old” group.