Evaluation of Prevalence and Pattern of Peripheral Neuropathy among Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Background: Peripheral neuropathy is a complication of liver cirrhosis. It contributes to morbidity and significantly decreases the quality of life of the patients. The prevalence and pattern vary with disease severity and etiology. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of peripheral neuropathy in liver cirrhosis and to evaluate its association with clinical and biochemical findings. Material and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was done on 60 cases of liver cirrhosis confirmed by clinical, biochemical, and radiological evaluations. Complete clinical examination followed by neurological evaluation was done for each case. Nerve condition studies were done in all cases. The severity of cirrhosis was classified based on Child–Pugh score. An appropriate statistical test was used for analysis of the data. Results: Peripheral neuropathy was present in 56.7% of patients. The most common pattern was symmetrical distal polyneuropathy (82.4%). Axonal neuropathy was the predominant electrophysiological type (60%). Neuropathy prevalence increased significantly with worsening Child–Pugh class (A: 30%, B: 60%, C: 86.7%; p = 0.005). Alcoholic cirrhosis showed significantly higher prevalence (72.2%) compared to non-alcoholic causes (p = 0.004). Patients with neuropathy had higher age, longer disease duration, and higher Child–Pugh scores. Conclusion: Peripheral neuropathy is a frequent complication of liver cirrhosis, particularly in alcoholic and advanced disease. Early detection using clinical and electrophysiological assessment is essential for timely management.

Keywords: Liver Cirrhosis, Peripheral Neuropathy, Child–Pugh score, Sensory-Motor neuropathy.