Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and other immune-mediated demyelinating neuropathies.

The identification of specific disorders caused by immune-mediated attack on Schwann cells and myelin have both improved and confused our understanding and classification of chronic inflammatory and immune-mediated neuropathies. Some investigators consider all neuropathies that respond to immunosuppressive treatment as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), regardless of whether there is evidence for demyelination. Other investigators rely on a very strict definition of CIDP and do not include variations. The goal of this article is to clarify the spectrum of these disorders and provide a logical classification scheme that has clinical utility and yet allows for new information that might distinguish new variations. Therapeutic strategies are also discussed.