ALS vs CIDP

Anonymous
November 7, 2006 at 8:33 am

Dr. David,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question.

The one symptom that is not real predominant is the sensory features. My symptoms in my right leg started with weakness, and very low reflexes to where now I have no reflexes, severe atrophy and just slight numbness and no feeling around the ankle area. As I stated before, my initial lumbar puncture back in June had a protein level of 212. My second lp in Sept registered 163. Not having any trauma or known infection, would I be wrong to reason that CIDP is a solid dx?

ALS vs CIDP

Anonymous
November 7, 2006 at 2:27 am

Yankeebrad, in answer to your question CSF protein is raised in trauma and infection, and CIDP. ALS used to be called Motor Neurone Disease because there is motor invovement only. The diagnosis of CIDP is a clinical (bedside) diagnosis confirmed by Lumbar Puncture, it has sensory and usually later motor features.
Treatment is initialy IVIG with about 40% success rate, then plasma exchange with another 40% then prednisone and later cytotoxic immunosupressant drugs. DocDavid