The Rotterdam Study
Date published: April 17, 2024
Background
Chronic axonal polyneuropathy is the most common disorder of the peripheral nervous system. It is a slowly progressive disease and affects 4-13% of people aged 50 years and older. The disease impairs the function of the nerves resulting in symptoms as tingling, numbness, burning sensations, pain and muscle weakness.
Unfortunately, there is no treatment. Therefore, prevention of chronic axonal polyneuropathy is extremely important. To be able to prevent, it is important to understand how the disease develops. It is known that chronic axonal polyneuropathy is a multifactorial disease with several known risk factors. However, the pathophysiology of the disease is not entirely understood and in more than a third of patients no risk factor for development of chronic axonal polyneuropathy is found.
The Rotterdam Study
The Rotterdam Study is a prospective population-based cohort study, which started in 1990 with the aim of studying chronic diseases in the elderly using transdisciplinary research. The Rotterdam study invited residents aged 40 years and over from the suburb of Ommoord in Rotterdam to participate. In total more than 17000 men and women have been enrolled in the study. Participants undergo comprehensive screenings at the research centre every 4-5 years. This screening includes determinants and occurrence of cardiovascular, neurological, ophthalmologic, dermatologic, psychiatric, and endocrine diseases including blood sampling, genetic testing, urine testing, and imaging including an MRI scan of the brain. Since 2013 a screening for polyneuropathy has been implemented, consisting of a symptom questionnaire, neurological examination and a brief nerve conductions study.
Aim
Our research within the Rotterdam Study aim to unravel the complexities surrounding chronic axonal polyneuropathy, with a focus on identifying novel risk factors that may serve as targets for preventive interventions.
Schedule
In the past 10 years, more than 5000 participants have been screened for chronic polyneuropathy. Due to the structure of The Rotterdam Study and the extensive amount of available information of this population, we are able to investigate chronic (idiopathic) axonal polyneuropathy in a broad spectrum and aim to better understand the disease.
A list of research articles
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The role of B lymphocytes in the progression of chronic immune-mediated neuropathies
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Study on CIDP
In addition, I am studying the role of B lymphocytes in the progression of chronic immune-mediated neuropathies, including Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) and Autoimmune Nodopathy (AN). Through this research, we strive to enhance diagnostics, clinical care, and treatment options for patients affected by these conditions.
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Detecting anti-paranodal antibodies
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Study on GBS
My research primarily focuses on investigating novel pathogenic antibodies in paranodal regions associated with immune-mediated neuropathies. The aim of my project is to improve diagnostic methods for detecting anti-paranodal antibodies and to determine the prevalence of these harmful autoantibodies in patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS).
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Time to treatment study
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Study on GBS
In this project, we aim to describe the current practice of time to treatment. We also assess the association with functional outcome in patients with GBS who received first-line treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange. This study is performed using data from the International GBS Outcome Study (IGOS).
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