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Contrasting effects of IFNbeta and IVIG in children with central and peripheral demyelination
I Pirko1, N L Kuntz, M Patterson
1Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA.
Reported are three children with MS who responded dramatically to interferon-beta (IFNbeta) therapy. While on immunomodulatory therapy, they developed chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) that responded to IV immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration. These cases emphasize two interesting observations: 1) IFNbeta treatment did not prevent development of CIDP; 2) CIDP in the context of MS responded to IVIG, even though IVIG had no therapeutic effect on the central demyelinating disease.
Reported are three children with MS who responded dramatically to interferon-beta (IFNbeta) therapy. While on immunomodulatory therapy, they developed chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) that responded to IV immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration. These cases emphasize two interesting observations: 1) IFNbeta treatment did not prevent development of CIDP; 2) CIDP in the context of MS responded to IVIG, even though IVIG had no therapeutic effect on the central demyelinating disease.
