Clinical Characteristics of CRMP5 Neuropathy

Collapsin response-mediator protein-5 (CRMP5) has been associated with encephalitis, myelopathy, and optic neuritis. To further characterize the clinical findings associated with CRMP5 autoimmunity, researchers retrospectively identified 314 patients seropositive for CRMP5-IgG, of whom 132 (42%) had evidence of neuropathy. Other identified syndromes included encephalitis, cerebellar ataxia, myelopathy, myasthenia gravis, choreoathetosis, and optic neuritis.

Among the 132 patients, 88% were current or prior smokers; 69% had a cancer identified, and the neuropathy preceded the cancer diagnosis in 96% by a median 185 days. Most cancers were small cell lung cancer (75%) or thymoma (15%). Other autoantibodies were frequently present, and the co-o…