Reply To: Polyethylene / Mylar

MarkEns is correct in noting that some number of cases of CIDP would be expected among those persons exposed to these materials even if there were no causal relationship. The same is true for any substance.
There is no reason to believe that the CIDP was caused by chemical exposure. Acquired autoimmune diseases are thought to be triggered by infections which mimic parts of the nervous system, so that the antibodies produced attack the nerves as well as the infection. Most cases of CIDP are ideopathic because the infection need not produce clinical symptoms in order to cause an immune response. There may be other things which make a person more susceptible to CIDP than most, but these are not well understood.
It is best to concentrate on treatment and recovery and not worry about the possible cause, in my opinion. The cause cannot be known, and if it were known it would not change the treatment plan.