Introduction: Laboratory studies to uncover the underlying etiology for patients with neuropathy are essential in practice. To address if there is an increased frequency of abnormal routine laboratory finding in patients with acral paresthesia, we performed a retrospective clinical observational study.
Methods: Charts of patients with acral paresthesia with or without numbness were retrospectively reviewed. They all had neurologically either normal examinations or only mildly distal sensory abnormalities. Their clinical data and routine laboratory findings were collected and analyzed.
Results: Two hundred and two patients (mean age: 56.3 ± 13.7 years, male/ female = 88/114) were studied. Significantly increased frequencies of abnormal findings, such as elevated values of HbA1c (p < 0.002), body mass index (p < 0.003) and decreased vitamin D levels (p < 0.0001), were noted.
Discussion: Our study suggests that, in addition to diabetes mellitus, vitamin D deficiency and obesity may frequently be seen in patients with acral paresthesia.

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