IMMUNOGLOBULIN THERAPY OF CHRONIC INFLAMM ATORY NEUROPATHIES

High-dose intravenous immunoglobulins (ivIg) are an effective therapy in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and multif ocal motor neuropathy (MMN). In both diseases, data regarding ivIg lon gterm treatment are sparse. Therapy with ivIg was performed in 18 pati ents with CIDP or MMN. Sixteen patients responded to ivIg therapy; the y were treated for more than 6 months. Two of them had not previously shown any positive response to other immunosuppressive treatments. Res ponse to ivIg therapy could be observed even after a long disease dura tion (maximum of 19.5 years). All 16 therapy responders now have no or only mild clinical symptoms. Treatment could eventually be completely stopped in 6 patients; they have now been in complete remission witho ut therapy for a maximum of 63 months. Ten patients still receive regu lar ivIg infusions in different dosages. No severe side effects were o bserved in the whole group. IvIg therapy is an effective, safe and eas ily applicable treatment regimen even in the long-term course of CIDP and MMN.