Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) in Diabetes Mellitus: A Diagnostic Dilemma

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a neurological disorder of the peripheral nerves which can lead to gradually increasing motor and sensory loss. It can be a difficult entity to diagnose, particularly in elderly patients with a history of Diabetes Mellitus due to their overlapping neuropathic syndromes. Reported is a case of CIDP in an elderly female who manifested multiple sensory, motor, and autonomic complaints. A compilation of clinical features, neuroimaging, lumbar puncture, electromyography, nerve conduction studies, and nerve biopsy were used to reach the diagnosis. Highlighted is a clinical approach to identifying CIDP that can cause neuropathy in the setting of other potential confounding disorders namely Diabetes Mellitus.