Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy in Association With Concomitant Diseases: Identification and Management

Hepatitis B Precipitating Neurological Complications: A Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) Conundrum

Hepatitis B virus stands as a prominent contributor to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and other liver-related fatalities. On the other hand, neurological manifestations in HBV-infected individuals are infrequently observed. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) represents an immune-mediated neuropathy, known for its distinctive pattern of symmetrical involvement and weakness in both proximal and distal muscles. In this study, we present a noteworthy instance of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) occurring in a patient with chronic inactive hepatitis B infection.

Central nervous system involvement in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy-MRS and DTI study

Objective

The current research aimed to analyze the alterations within the motor cortex and pyramidal pathways and their association with the degree of damage within the peripheral nerve fibers in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP). To achieve that goal, we investigated the microstructural changes within the pyramidal white matter tracts using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters, evaluated metabolic alterations in both precentral gyri using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) ratios, and correlated them with the neurographic findings in patients with CIDP.

Methods

The spectroscopic ratios of NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and mI/Cr from both precentral gyri and the values of fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), and mean diffusivity (MD) from both of the corticospinal tracts were correlated with the results of neurological and neurographic findings. The comparison of DTI parameters between the patients and controls was performed using Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test. Due to the lack of normal distribution of most variables, Spearman's Rho rank coefficient was used to test all correlations. All analyses were performed at a significant level of alpha = 0.05 using STATISTICA 13.3.

Results

Compared to the control group (CG), the patient group showed significantly lower ratios of NAA/Cr (1.66 ± 0.11 vs. 1.61 ± 0.15; p = 0.022), higher ratios of ml/Cr in the right precentral gyrus (0.57 ± 0.15 vs. 0.61 ± 0.08; p = 0.005), and higher levels of Cho/Cr within the left precentral gyrus (0.83 ± 0.09 vs. 0.88 ± 0.14, p = 0.012). The DTI parameters of MD from the right CST and AD from the right and left CSTs showed a strong positive correlation (0.52-0.53) with the sural sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) latency of the right sural nerve. There were no other significant correlations between other DTI and MRS parameters and neurographic results.

Significance

In our study, significant metabolic alterations were found in the precentral gyri in patients with CIDP without clinical symptoms of central nervous system involvement. The revealed changes reflected neuronal loss or dysfunction, myelin degradation, and increased gliosis. Our results suggest coexisting CNS damage in these patients and may provide a new insight into the still unknown pathomechanism of CIDP.

Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy as the Initial Presentation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Successfully Treated With Cyclophosphamide

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that can manifest with a wide range of clinical features, including peripheral nervous system involvement. Among the neurological complications associated with SLE, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a rare but significant entity. This case report explores the complex relationship between CIDP and SLE, emphasizing the challenges in diagnosis and the complexities of treatment strategies. We present the case of a patient diagnosed with CIDP as the initial manifestation of SLE, who exhibited a remarkable response to a unique treatment approach. This case underscores the potential overlap of these two conditions, the need for individualized diagnostic, and the importance of considering lupus activity when making therapeutic decisions. While conventional treatment approaches for CIDP are established, the management of CIDP in the context of SLE requires a thorough approach. This report presents a case where early intervention with steroids and cyclophosphamide yielded favorable outcomes, providing insights into alternative treatment options. As this subset of patients remains underrepresented in clinical trials, further research is needed to establish clear guidelines for the management of CIDP in SLE, optimizing patient care while minimizing risks associated with immunomodulatory therapies.

Molecular, Electrophysiological, and Ultrasonographic Differences in Selected Immune-Mediated Neuropathies with Therapeutic Implications

The spectrum of immune-mediated neuropathies is broad and the different subtypes are still being researched. With the numerous subtypes of immune-mediated neuropathies, establishing the appropriate diagnosis in normal clinical practice is challenging. The treatment of these disorders is also troublesome. The authors have undertaken a literature review of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). The molecular, electrophysiological and ultrasound features of these autoimmune polyneuropathies are analyzed, highlighting the differences in diagnosis and ultimately treatment. The immune dysfunction can lead to damage to the peripheral nervous system. In practice, it is suspected that these disorders are caused by autoimmunity to proteins located in the node of Ranvier or myelin components of peripheral nerves, although disease-associated autoantibodies have not been identified for all disorders. The electrophysiological presence of conduction blocks is another important factor characterizing separate subgroups of treatment-naive motor neuropathies, including multifocal CIDP (synonyms: multifocal demyelinating neuropathy with persistent conduction block), which differs from multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block (MMN) in both responses to treatment modalities and electrophysiological features. Ultrasound is a reliable method for diagnosing immune-mediated neuropathies, particularly when alternative diagnostic examinations yield inconclusive results. In overall terms, the management of these disorders includes immunotherapy such as corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange. Improvements in clinical criteria and the development of more disease-specific immunotherapies should expand the therapeutic possibilities for these debilitating diseases.