Active clinical trials for "Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating"

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy is disease believed to be due to immune cells, cells which normally protect the body, but are now attacking the nerves in the body. As a result, the affected nerves fail to respond, or respond only weakly, to stimuli causing numbing, tingling, pain, and progressive muscle weakness.The likelihood of progression of the disease is high. This study is designed to examine whether treating patients with high dose cyclophosphamide (a drug which reduces the function of the immune system) and ATG (a protein that kills the immune cells that are thought to be causing disease), followed by return of the previously collected blood stem cells will stop the progression of CIDP. Stem cells are undeveloped cells that have the capacity to grow into mature blood cells, which normally circulate in the blood stream. The purpose of the high dose cyclophosphamide and ATG is to destroy the cells in the immune system. The purpose of the stem cell infusion is to evaluate whether this treatment will produce a normal immune system that will no longer attack the body.

OBJECTIVES: I. Assess the efficacy of 3,4-diaminopyridine in patients with stable chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Chronic Inflammatory Demylinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) is an autoimmune condition affecting the nervous system. Researchers believe the immune system begins attacking the cells covering nerves called myelin. The destruction of myelin causes muscle weakness, loss of sensation, abnormal levels of protein in the fluid surrounding the brain (CSF), and slowing of the nervous system. The disease progresses slowly and disables patients suffering from it. CIDP is treated with steroids, plasmapheresis, and immunosuppressive drugs. Many patients initially respond to these treatments, but develop resistance to the therapy or experience side effects causing the treatments to be stopped. Researchers believe that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) may provide patients with CIDP a safer and more effective alternative to standard therapies for the disease. IVIg is a drug that has been used successfully to treat other immune-related diseases of the nervous system. However, because IVIg is so expensive, researchers believe it should first be proven effective on a small group of patients. The study will take 60 patients with CIDP and divide them into two groups. Group one will receive 2 injections of IVIg once a month for three months. Group two will receive 2 injections of placebo "inactive injection of sterile water" once a month for three months. Following the three months of treatment, group one will begin taking the placebo and group two will begin taking IVIg for an additional 3 months. The drug will be considered effective if patients receiving it experience a significant improvement (>25%) in muscle strength.

OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the response of previously untreated patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy to intravenous immune globulin vs. placebo.

OBJECTIVES: I. Compare and evaluate the response to treatment with intravenous human immune globulin (IVIG) or placebo in previously untreated patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

The primary endpoint of this study is to determine what percentage of patients receiving high-dose Cyclophosphamide may experience a halt in the worsening of their disease or experience improvement of their disease and for how long the benefit may last.

The purpose of this pilot study is to assess the safety and efficacy of Acthar® Gel in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) patients.

The objectives of this study are to determine the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of alemtuzumab for infusion for the treatment of CIDP. Eligible subjects will be treated with alemtuzumab at the beginning of the study and then followed for three years. During the three year period, subjects will under go monthly safety evaluations consisting of blood and urine testing, symptom surveys and examination. Detailed neurological testing including nerve conduction testing, Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale (CIDP/RODS) and Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale (ONLS) assessments will be performed every six months for three years. The study will also investigate and compare the responsiveness of the outcome measures being used.

Chronic dysimmune neuropathies (CDN) are a heterogenous group of acquired inflammatory demyelinating neuropathies including chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies (CIDP), Lewis-Sumner Syndrome (LSS), multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and other rare entities. Despite their relatively low prevalence, CDN lead to substantial costs for patients and society. CDN are usually misdiagnosed due to progressive nature of the disease with little known data regarding disease activity and treatment response

The investigators are using self administered subcutaneous IG in patients with CIDP who require IVIG. Safety, efficacy, and patient satisfaction will be examined.