Critical Illness Polyneuropathy

I have always noticed at the top of this board that it says CIP/CIDP. I guess, even after 4 years of reading this forum, that I have never known the difference. Please tell us more about your mother’s present condition & what treatments she has already had & maybe we can help more.
Pam

Hello,
I am not sure either exactly what it is your mother has. If I am understanding things correctly, POLY means many and NEUROPATHY means nerves, which is a broad term for your mothers illness. We’ll try to give you advice, but can you tell us more. If I’m right that CIP and CIDP are different, it sounds like you’re saying your mother has CIP.

Hi Andrew and welcome. Sorry to hear about your Mom but glad she is doing better. I also had never heard of this, found a good abstract online about it though:

[COLOR=blue]ijccm.org/article.asp?issn=0972-5229;year=2005;volume=9;issue=1;spage=32;epage=34;aulast=Vijayan[/COLOR]

[B](cut and paste it)[/B]

A google search brought up many more links. Best wishes to her and to you and your family.

Jerimy

Andrew, CIP or critical illness polyneuropathy is the result of severe illness usually with multiple organ failure and septicaemia (in70%) from many other causes.
It is seen in intensive care units where it occurs in about 2-3% of patients. It is an axonal demyelinating polyneuropathy,it is made worse by steroids, there is some anecdotal evidence that IVIG (immunoglobulins) may help. The outcome is not good.
Why was your mother so extremely ill in the first place, the underlying illness have to be dealt with first.
I hope she is beginning to recover, this must be so hard for you as she is quite young, my age in fact. DocDavid

Andrew, the responses of Critical Illness Polyneuropathy to IVIG are purely anecdotal.
As far as I know no controlled trials have been done, in medicine this is the only way of providing statistically supported evidence that a treatment works.
I suggest you discuss a trial of IVIG with her neurologist. DocDavid

What is the differnce of cip to cidp . can you describe this to me. please thank you

Nebraskafan. Herein lies the problem with abbreviations. CIP is described above, it is of rapid onset, a multi-neuropathy secondary to severe near fatal illness such as septicaemia. CIDP is Chronic Inflammatory demyelinating Polyneuropathy, typically developing slowly over months or years and thought be an auto-immune disease where our own antibodies begin to destroy the myelin in the outer insulating coat of the peripheral nerves. CIDP shows a good response in many cases to IVIG or Plasma Exchange (plasmapheresis) and immuno-suppressant anti-cancer type drugs It often responds to steroids which are a no no in CIP. CIP has no specific treatment, but IVIG may possibly help. Have I muddied the water, or clarified it? DocDavid

DocDavid,

Have you ever thought of writing a book or paper of some kind with medical information phrased in layman’s language? You have such a good way of describing things that make them so clear.

Best wishes,

Suzanne

Suzanne, thank you for the compliment. I am very happy writing here and on gbs.org.uk I on the other hand, am so impressed by the emotional support given by others to the newcomers. We all work together to the benefit of those with troubles. Good wishes David

Doc and this site made possible my learning of rituxan. I then passed it on to my neurologist. I feel a great debt to all of them.

John,

My memory is so bad:o , I had read a number of posts last week regarding rituxan, and commented on a few. Have you had a Rituxan treatment yet? If so, how do you feel now?

I have been on rituxan for about 2 years, my memory is awful so give or take. Yes, it helped me immensely where ivig failed. The only time I lose anything on Rituxan is when I get sick, then the disease attacks me ferociously. Its holding me pretty steady.