Tuesday, September 27th, 2022
Recovery, second time around ...
So, a day ago, my neurologist explained to me that I have Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) - a rare condition that arises when the myelin sheaths around certain peripheral nerves become damaged. This causes muscle weakness and impaired motor control. It is a form of GBS ( Guillain-Barré syndrome )
In some cases, you can treat CIDP. By controlling inflammation, it may be possible to slow or stop the progression of the condition and alleviate symptoms. Without treatment, CIDP can lead to permanent neurological damage.
CIDP occurs due to damage to myelin. Myelin is the insulating layer of tissue that surrounds nerve cells. It helps ensure that signals from the brain are rapidly transmitted to the proper places in the body.
When myelin becomes damaged or destroyed, it can lead to problems with communication between the brain and the body.
With CIDP, there is chronic demyelination of areas of the peripheral nerves. This can be constant, or it can periodically worsen and improve.
This inflammation damages peripheral nerves, but not the brain or spinal cord. While CIDP is sometimes associated with inflammatory or autoimmune conditions, medical professionals do not know the exact cause.
Conditions that may contribute to the development of CIDP include:
- autoimmune conditions, which are conditions in which the immune system attacks healthy tissue
- inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
- acquired immunodeficiencies, such as HIV infection
- thyrotoxicosis, which is an excess of thyroid hormone in the body
- systemic lupus erythematosus, which is the most common type of lupus
- lymphoma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, a condition that causes elevated levels of a certain protein in your blood
- POEMS syndrome, a rare blood disorder that affects multiple areas of the body, including the nervous system
- cholangiocarcinoma, which is cancer of the bile ducts
- melanoma, which is the most serious type of skin cancer
- carcinoma, a type of cancer that can cause a complication of the nervous system, leading to CIDP
- graft-versus-host disease, a condition in which donor cells attack recipient tissue after a transplant
Viruses that may occur before an episode of CIDP include:
- influenza
- HIV
- hepatitis A, B, and C
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which causes lung infection
- Epstein-Barr virus
- Campylobacter jejuni, which causes food poisoning
- cytomegalovirus
Other possible risk factors for CIDP include:
- being in the postpartum period following pregnancy
- having had recent surgery
- having had a solid organ or bone marrow transplantation
- getting vaccinations for swine influenza, influenza, meningococcus, rabies, hepatitis B, and tetanus toxoid
Treatment for CIDP focuses on controlling symptoms and slowing the progression of the condition. There are numerous treatment options available, and up to 80% of people respond to one or more CIDP therapies that modify the immune system.
Treatments for CIDP include:
- corticosteroids, such as prednisone and prednisolone, to reduce inflammation
- immunosuppressant drugs to prevent the immune system from attacking the myelin sheath
- IV immunoglobulin therapy
- plasma exchange for short-term improvement of symptoms
- physical therapy to help with motor ability
