[Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies]

A chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is described both on the basis of authors' own observations and literary data. The disease is characterised by delayed onset with progredient, progredient-remittent and stable course of flaccid paresis of extremity together with mild distal sensitive disturbances, albumino-cytologic dissociation and dysimmunoglobulinemia. Cranial nerves damages and vestibulo-cerebellar disturbances were observed in a number of patients. This confirms the involvement of CNS in CIDP. The common character of clinical, immunological, laboratory and electrophysiological findings permits to consider CIDP and Guillain-Barré syndrome as autoimmune diseases. Meanwhile some recent findings on the formation of antibodies to peripheral nerves structures as well as high titers of antisulfamide and antigangliosides antibodies permit to suggest CIDP as separate nosological unit. Additional clinical data and the evaluation of the role of etiological and pathogenetic mechanisms are necessary for the final conclusion.