Reply To: Cidp diagnosis

Regarding the reference booklet that Jim-la gave please continue to page 43 for the diagnostic criteria for CIDP.

And, I cast my vote with what GH said about sural nerve biopsies. They should only be done as a last and desperate attempt to make a diagnosis.

For example, from the Journal of Neurology and Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 1998 Jan; 64(1): 84–89.

“RESULTS—The results of the first logistic analysis showed that CSF protein concentration >1 g/l (odds ratio (OR)=38.5) and neurophysiological studies consistent with demyelination (OR=51.7) were strong predictors of CIDP. When forcing the significant features and the sural nerve biopsy data into the model, an independent predictive value of sural nerve biopsy could not be found. The neurologist was able to discriminate patients with and without CIDP (area under the curve (AUC)=0.95). His diagnostic performance did not improve significantly by offering him the results of sural nerve biopsy.
CONCLUSION—Any additional diagnostic value of sural nerve biopsy in the diagnosis of CIDP could not be shown.”