Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: Plasmapheresis or cyclosporine can be good treatment options in refractory cases

Childhood chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is a rare condition, and the optimal treatment strategy is not well established, especially in refractory cases. We analyzed the clinical features and treatment outcomes of 14 cases of childhood CIDP with more than 12 months of follow-up. Of the 14 cases, 10 cases were considered refractory to the conventional first-line treatment. In the monophasic group (n = 6), plasmapheresis resulted in a better treatment response than did IVIG. Monophasic refractory cases (n = 4) were especially responsive to plasmapheresis. In the polyphasic group (n = 8), IVIG and plasmapheresis had comparable effects. Among them six polyphasic patients were refractory to the first-line treatment options and received additional immunosuppressants. Four treatment-refractory polyphasic patients received cyclosporine and achieved successful disease control. With regard to the long-term outcomes, six patients showed minimal symptoms and no relapse within 6 months. Our results suggest that early administration of plasmapheresis in a monophasic course and cyclosporine in a polyphasic course may be effective treatment options for refractory childhood CIDP.