Epidemiology of Lower Limb Nerve Entrapments
摘要
Introduction: Knowledge about the epidemiology of compressive neuropathies helps health professionals to direct their neurological examination and the patient’s economic resources more efficiently in the process of identifying neuropathies. Objective: This chapter discusses the epidemiological data of the main compressive neuropathies of the lower limbs and the risk factors most associated with these neuropathies. Discussion: Meralgia paresthetica has an incidence between 32 and 62 cases per 100,000 inhabitants/year in the general population and among the population with diabetes mellitus (DM), 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants/year. Piriformis syndrome is responsible for 0.3–6% of all cases of low back pain and lumbosciatica. This syndrome occurs in a ratio of 1:6 men/women. The compressive syndrome of the peroneal nerve has an incidence between 19 and 40/100,000 inhabitants/year, totaling between 0.6% and 1.2% of all identified neuropathies. The anterior and posterior tarsal tunnel syndromes are considered rare neuropathies. Conclusion: The most prevalent lower limb compressive neuropathy is the one that involves the peroneal nerve. The medical literature has few studies that evaluate the incidence and prevalence of compressive neuropathies of the lower limbs. The most commonly identified risk factors associated with compressive neuropathies are DM, connective tissue diseases, vitamin B12 deficiency, and alcoholism.