Treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy with intravenous immunoglobulin.
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy is an immune-mediated demyelinating peripheral neuropathy usually treated with immunosuppressants. We reviewed our experience treating 15 patients (9 men, 6 women) with intravenous immunoglobulin. Six patients were on other therapies at the time of intravenous immunoglobulin infusions (4, prednisone; 2, prednisone and azathioprine). The dose of intravenous immunoglobulin was either 0.3 or 0.4 gm/kg/day for 4 to 5 days. Transient fever occurred in 1 patient. Subjective improvement in sensory symptoms was reported by almost all patients. Objective improvements in strength or functional tasks occurred in only 3 patients, a man with human immunodeficiency virus infection, a 14-year-old girl, and a woman with an immunoglobulin G kappa paraprotein. Our results suggest that individual patients may respond to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. A multicenter controlled trial is needed to assess properly the role of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
Cornblath
D R
DR
Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
Chaudhry
V
V
Griffin
J W
JW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000628:therapy; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000150:complications; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents