Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy is a disorder typified cl
inically by motor and sensor? neuropathy of at least 2 months' duration and
pathologically by multifocal inflammatory demyelination, Its usual present
ation is with features reflecting the polyneuropathy namely limb weakness w
ith hyporeflexia or areflexia and sensory symptoms of glove and stocking di
stribution.
In this report, we detail the course of a 53-year-old man who presented to
our neurological service with a severe headache in association with papille
dema, The initial diagnosis considered was of possible primary intracranial
pathology. Two months later, he developed limb weakness and sensory sympto
ms typical of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. His headac
he, papilledema, and limb symptoms responded to oral corticosteroid therapy
, the standard treatment for this type of neuropathy. Pie hypothesize that
his headache and papilledema were due to the elevated cerebrospinal fluid p
rotein level as a result of the polyneuropathy, To our knowledge, this is t
he first report of headache being a prominent and early symptom of this dis
order.