Bruns Garland Syndrome as the first presentation of type 2 diabetes: two case reports and a practical approach to diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a global health problem causing a significant burden on the healthcare systems both due to the disease itself and associated complications. Diabetic radiculoplexus neuropathies or Bruns-Garland syndrome constitutes a rare form of microvascular complications, more commonly affecting the lumbosacral plexus and, very rarely, the cervical plexus. We describe two Sri Lankan males who presented with diabetic lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy and diabetic cervical radiculoplexus neuropathy as the initial manifestation of diabetes.

CASE DESCRIPTION

Case 1: a 49-year-old Sri Lankan hotel chef presented with subacute painful weakness and wasting of the left upper arm for 3 months and weight loss. Left upper limb proximal muscles were wasted with diminished power and reflexes. A nerve conduction study showed comparative amplitude reduction. An electromyogram revealed positive sharp waves, frequent fibrillations, and high amplitude polyphasic motor unit potentials with reduced recruitment in proximal muscles of left upper limb. Case-2: a 47-year-old Sri Lankan carpenter presented with subacute progressive asymmetrical painful weakness and wasting of bilateral thighs for 5 months and weight loss. Lower limb proximal muscles were wasted with reduced power and knee jerks. The nerve conduction study was normal. The electromyogram was similar to case 1 involving both quadratus femoris muscles, which was more prominent on the left side. The work up for an underlying etiology revealed only elevated fasting blood glucose and HbA1c, suggesting a new diagnosis of diabetes associated with neurological symptoms. Patient 1 was diagnosed with diabetic cervical radiculoplexus neuropathy and patient 2 with diabetic lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy. Both showed significant improvement following optimization of glycemic control together with symptomatic treatment and physiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Diagnosis of diabetic radiculoplexus neuropathy requires a comprehensive workup to rule out other sinister pathologies. This case report has a dual importance; it describes diabetic radiculoplexus neuropathy as the very first manifestation of two previously healthy people, giving rise to a new diagnosis of diabetes and, at the same time, reporting on diabetic cervical radiculoplexus neuropathy, which is extremely rare and has never been previously reported in Sri Lanka.

Diabetic radiculoplexus neuropathies

Diabetic radiculoplexus neuropathies (DRPN) are neuropathies clinically and pathologically distinct from the neuropathy typically associated with diabetes (DPN). DRPN are usually subacute in onset, painful, and often demonstrate a monophasic course with incomplete recovery. Pathologically, these neuropathies are due to ischemic injury from altered immunity and often have features suggestive or diagnostic of microvasculitis. Unlike DPN, immune therapy may be helpful in treatment of these conditions given their pathological substrate and therefore are important to identify early and distinguish from other neuropathies that occur in patient with diabetes.