Seminars in neurology
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In recent years, the usefulness of interferon beta and glatiramer acetate in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) has been established. Interferon beta has also been shown to be efficacious in secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) as well as in patients with isolated syndromes at risk to develop clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS). ⋯ The clinical utility of disease-modifying agents in MS will be reviewed with respect to the anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and immunosuppressive treatments that are currently available. Symptomatic therapies will not be considered.
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Seminars in neurology · Jun 2003
ReviewThe treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy is an inflammatory disorder of nerve that usually presents with slowly progressive weakness and sensory loss and areflexia. It is among the most treatable of the peripheral nerve disorders, and several modalities have been shown to be effective in prospective, randomized controlled trials. ⋯ The cumulative effects of the neuropathic impairments, along with side effects from long-term immunosuppressive treatment, combine to produce significant long-term morbidity and loss of function. This review will cover the epidemiology, clinical features, laboratory findings, and pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy; the current status of the treatment of this disorder will be reviewed, highlighting those therapies shown to be effective in randomized controlled trials.