Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) affects a person’s ability to move, especially their arms and legs, as well as their sensory functions, which can lead to tingling and numbness.
The disorder is rare, occurring in around 5 to 7 per 100,000 people in the United States, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
Fast facts on CIDP:
- The average age of onset is 50.
- Men are twice as likely as women to experience the disease.
- Symptoms include changes in walking or tingling and numbness in the hands and feet.
What causes CIDP?
It is believed that CIPD is caused by the body attacking the myelin sheaths that protect nerves, causing inflammation.
Although doctors do not know the exact cause of CIDP, they believe the condition is an autoimmune disorder where the body’s defense systems attack healthy tissues.
In the case of CIDP, these healthy tissues are the myelin sheaths that protect nerves and enable the nervous system to transmit signals more quickly.
The condition also causes inflammation in the nerves.
Difference to other disorders
While the disease has some similarities to other neurological disorders, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and multiple sclerosis (MS), there are several differences regarding onset, symptoms, and treatment course.
For example, a person with GBS can often identify an infection that occurred before their symptoms began, such as mononucleosis. Those with CIDP cannot usually identify a preceding infection.
A person with CIDP usually has symptoms that may continue for about 8 weeks, which is twice as long as typical GBS symptoms last for. Another difference is that GBS is an acute disorder that will not typically recur while CIDP symptoms may be ongoing.
Some doctors consider CIDP a chronic form of GBS.
