Seminars in neurology
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Seminars in neurology · Jul 2012
Review Case ReportsNeuropathic pain therapy: from bench to bedside.
Neuropathic pain is a result of complex interactions between peripheral and central mechanisms with multiple potential therapeutic targets. However, the complexity of these mechanisms and relative youth of translational pain research, which is in its infancy, have prevented translation of successful basic bench research to human therapy. Most of the clinically available neuropathic pain treatments are borrowed from other therapeutic areas, such as antidepressants and antiepileptics, or involve application of older therapy, such as opioids. ⋯ Similar to all other analgesic agents, these provide only partial pain relief in subsets of patients. The standard of care for patients with chronic neuropathic pain is multimodal and multidisciplinary. For most patients to achieve and maintain satisfactory pain relief a combination of therapeutic agents is necessary, providing the empiric basis for rational polypharmacy, which has become a standard approach as well.
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Seminars in neurology · Jul 2012
ReviewChronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: from bench to bedside.
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is the most common treatable chronic autoimmune neuropathy. Multiple diagnostic criteria have been established, with the primary goal of identifying neurophysiologic hallmarks of acquired demyelination. Treatment modalities have expanded to include numerous immunomodulatory therapies, although the best evidence continues to be for corticosteroids, plasma exchange, and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). This review describes the pathology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of CIDP.
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Diabetes is associated with a variety of chronic and acute neuropathies. In this article, the authors summarize the clinical features of the most common diabetic neuropathies, focusing on those for which therapy is available or under active investigation. ⋯ Potential treatments for DSP are discussed in four broad themes: (1) medication and lifestyle therapy to improve hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and attendant features of metabolic syndrome, including obesity and dyslipidemia; (2) pharmacologic therapy to alter neuropathy natural history aimed at rational targets from known pathophysiology; (3) symptomatic relief of neuropathic pain; and (4) treatment to prevent complications of neuropathy, including stasis ulcers and falls. The approach to the most common acute diabetic neuropathies is also reviewed.