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Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is a disorder affecting the spinal nerve roots and spinal nerves. Inflammatory reactions are associated with the destruction of the insulating myelin sheath around these nerves. The disorder often follows a viral infection, and the cause is suspected to be an abnormal immune response. Modification of the immune response proves to be beneficial for patients with CIDP. Corticosteroids and immunosuppressant drugs are effective, but these drugs have the potential for long-term side effects. Plasmapheresis, in which the plasma portion of blood is replaced while the patient keeps his or her own blood cells is also effective, but this procedure is expensive and elaborate, and always has the danger of starting a potentially serious bacterial infection. Recent results with adult patients have shown that immunoglobulin, or antibody molecules, obtained from donor blood is effective in treating CIDP. A study was conducted to determine if high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin is effective in the treatment of children as well. Four children were given one high-dose intravenous infusion of immunoglobulin each day for five days during a relapse of disease symptoms. All four children had been treated for previous relapses with plasmapheresis. In two cases, the responses achieved with the immunoglobulin treatment were similar to that achieved with the plasmapheresis, while in the other two cases, the immunoglobulin treatment actually produced superior results. There were no side effects to the immunoglobulin treatment, in contrast with the plasmapheresis, which had been complicated by two Staphylococcus infections, one case of venous thromboses, and one case of profuse bleeding that occurred when a line was accidentally pulled out. These results suggest that high-dose immunoglobulin is safe and at least as effective as plasmapheresis in the treatment of CIDP. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.) more...