Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy is an acquired autoimmune disease of the peripheral nervous system characterized by progressive weakness and impaired sensory function in the legs and arms. Patients typically develop symmetric weakness beginning in the legs, with difficulty walking, climbing stairs and gripping objects, along with balance problems, tingling sensations and fatigue. The immune system attacks myelin, the protective covering of nerves, though the precise trigger is poorly understood; infections or vaccinations within six weeks of symptom onset occur in roughly 30 percent of cases. The condition was first formally described in 1982 by Dyck and colleagues, who documented patients responding to corticosteroid treatment for what they termed chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.