Blood Transfusion Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Blood Transfusion, including details on blood donation, blood types, leukemia.

Treatment of Guillain-Barré syndrome and CIDP.

van Doorn PA

Department of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands. p.a.vandoorn@erasmusmc.nl

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating poly-(radiculo)neuropathy (CIDP) are immune-mediated disorders with a variable duration of progression and a range in severity of weakness. Infections can trigger GBS and exacerbate CIDP. Anti-ganglioside antibodies are important, but there is debate on the role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of these disorders. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) have shown that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and plasma exchange (PE) are effective in both GBS and CIDP. Most CIDP patients also improve after steroid therapy. Despite current treatment options, many patients have residual deficits or need to be treated for a long period of time. Therefore, new treatment trials are highly indicated. This review focuses on the current and possible new treatment options that could be guided by recent results from laboratory experiments.

Published 16 June 2005 in J Peripher Nerv Syst, 10(2): 113-27.
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