Re: cidp

Posted By CCF Neurology MD - AY on January 06, 1999 at 03:35:20:

In Reply to: cidp posted by marym on January 06, 1999 at 03:10:21:






: my husband has cidp he has had all the so call mirical treatments with no sucess atall. we would like to know what to expectin the future. and is thij related to ald?




Thanks for your question.  Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP)
is a slowly evolving inflammatory process (achieving its maximum severity
after several months or even a year or longer) which destroy the myelin
(fatty layers) of axons.  Initial symptoms usually include weakness of limbs,
particularly of the proximal leg muscles, numbness, and other altered
sensations of hands and feet.  The different treatment modalities include
high doses of intra-venous gamma globulin, which can be repeated after an
initial course of 4-5 days; plasma exchange or plasmapheresis; corticosteroids.
A portion of the patients will present enough recovery so that treatment
can be discontinued, or significantly scaled down to avoid side-effects.
Unfortunately, the long term prognosis for a portion of the patients is
poor, with progressive disability and treatment dependence.  Please discuss
the above mentioned treatment options with your husband's physicians.
I hope this information is helpful.  Best of luck.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only.
Please consult your doctor regarding diagnostic and treatment options.
post: my husband has had both of the treatments that you mentioned in your reply, The blood plasma exchange left him with 3 blood clots in his neck my husband has really went down hill since Sept. he is on neurontin &inmuran & he is A diabetic heis also on predisone  Pleeeeese tele me there is some treatment that hisdoctore has'nt thought of!!! it seems that none of the doctors has seen a case of cidp here before they are the ones to go on the net to find out what we could. And I ask again is like ADL or is it ALd ? I do want thank you for responding to our question.




Thanks for your reply.  I am sorry to hear about the poor progress in your
husband's case, and the medical complications from the treatment attempts.
A recent report on a neurology clinical journal suggests a new modality of
treatment for the cases of CIDP that has been resistant to gammaglobulins,
plasma exchange, and steroids.  I included the reference below, but because
the article was not written in layman's term, you should probably discuss
it with your husband's physicians - the article can be found in any good
university library:
Improvement following interferon-alpha 2A in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
Neurology 1997 Mar;48(3):777-80   (ISSN: 0028-3878)
Gorson KC; Allam G; Simovic D; Ropper AH
Neurology Service, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA 02135, USA.
N.B. Dr. Ropper is one of the world authorities in acute demyelinating
processes.
Last note, I am failing to understand your last question: ADL or ALd???
I hope this information is helpful.  Best of luck.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only.
Please consult your doctor regarding diagnostic and treatment options.