Open AccessTreatment of pediatric chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: Challenges, controversies, and questions
Author(s) -
Jay Desai,
Leigh RamosPlatt,
Wendy G. Mitchell
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
annals of indian academy of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1998-3549
pISSN - 0972-2327
DOI - 10.4103/0972-2327.160065
Subject(s) - medicine , chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy , rituximab , azathioprine , plasmapheresis , refractory (planetary science) , cyclophosphamide , pediatrics , polyneuropathy , disease , immunology , antibody , chemotherapy , physics , astrobiology
Pediatric chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is an uncommon acquired disorder of unknown cause, presumed to have an immunological basis. We report 20 patients seen at Children's Hospital Los Angeles over a period of 10 years. The outcome of our patients was favorable in a vast majority with good response to various treatments instituted. However, residual neurologic deficit was common. The choice of treatment modality was empirical and selected by the treating neurologist. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and corticosteroids were most commonly utilized for treatment. Plasmapheresis, mycophenolate mofetil, rituximab, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, and abatacept were added if the patients were refractory to IVIG or became corticosteroid dependent. The spectrum of disease severity ranged from a single monophasic episode, to multiphasic with infrequent relapses with good response to IVIG, to progressive disease refractory to multiple therapies.