title: Phrenic nerve palsy as a feature of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.
abstract: We report four patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) who presented with phrenic nerve palsy, which was unilateral in two instances. The two patients with bilateral phrenic nerve involvement required mechanical ventilation. After treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins (i.v.Ig) or steroids, the sensorimotor deficit and respiratory parameters improved in three patients, but the fourth patient remained ventilator dependent and died from pulmonary infection. Although rare, phrenic nerve palsy may be a feature of CIDP and may be responsive to treatment with i.v.Ig or steroids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Lille, France. t-stojkovic@chru-lille.fr
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stojkovic
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Seze
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hurtevent
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fourrier
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vermersch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020277:Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D011859:Radiography; D012133:Respiratory Paralysis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D013256:Steroids