Epidemiological and clinical aspects of CIDP

Abstract

The aim of this study is to give a current overview of CIDP. Indeed, since it was first described in 1975, this entity appears to have evolved considerably. Based on an analysis of 146 patients diagnosed with CIDP at the Centre de Référence de Pathologie Neuromusculaire Paris Est between January 2005 and August 2006, our study seeks to answer the following questions: What is the frequency of this neuropathy? What are the diagnostic criteria? What is the clinical spectrum of CIDP? What is the frequency of the various clinical variants? How many CIDP variants are associated with another disease, and with which other diseases? What is the frequency of CIDP associated with a monoclonal gammopathy? What is the range of possible outcomes, and is CIDP a severe disease? Are current treatments for CIDP satisfactory? © Elsevier Masson.