title: Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy.
abstract: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy is a chronic progressive or relapsing and remitting disease with a prevalence of up to 8.9 per 100,000.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review discusses possible mechanisms, none of which are proven, and describes the evidence for its treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cochrane Reviews provide evidence that corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasma exchange are effective short-term treatments. Attempts to confirm the efficacy of other immunosuppressant agents have not been successful, although they are often used in people whose disease is resistant to the first-line treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More and better trials are needed.
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disease, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, PO Box 114, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK, rhughes11@btinternet.com
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D020277:Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
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