Immune-mediated neuropathies induced by immunosuppressive treatment
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University
- Correspondence to Dr Satoshi Kuwabara, Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan; kuwabara-s{at}faculty.chiba-u.jp
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Contributors SK and SM equally contributed to this editorial commentary.
- Received 4 April 2012
- Revised 12 April 2012
- Accepted 13 April 2012
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is an immune-mediated neuropathy and the efficacy of immunosuppressive or immunomodulating treatments with corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange has been established.1 2 For patients refractory to these conventional therapies, other immunosuppressants such as cyclophosphamide, ciclosporin rituximab and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonists have been trialed.3 4
Conversely, several studies have established that immunosuppressive agents may trigger the development of CIDP. Recent examples include CIDP induced by TNF-α antagonists such as infliximab and etanercept.5 Separately, therapy with the TNF-α antagonists for rheumatoid …
