Treatments for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP): an overview of systematic reviews

Abstract

BackgroundChronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is a chronic progre ssive or relapsing and remitting disease thatusually causes weakness and sensory loss. The symptoms are due to autoimmune inflammation of peripheral nerves. CIPD affectsabout 2 to 3 per 100,000 of the population. More than half of affected people cannot walk unaided when symptoms are at their worst.CIDP usually responds to treatments th at reduce inflammation, but there is disagreement about which treatment is most effective.ObjectivesTo summarise the evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews (CSRs) and non-Cochrane systematic reviews of any treatment for CIDPand to compare the effects of treatments.MethodsWe considered all systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of any treatment for any form of CIDP. We reported theirprimary outcomes, giving priority to change in disability after 12 months.Two overview authors independently identified published systematic reviews for inclusion and colle cted data. We reported the qualityof evidence using GRADE cr iter ia. Two other review authors independently checked review selection, data e xtraction and qualityassessments.On 31 October 2016, we searche d the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (intheCochrane Library), MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL Plus f or systematic reviews of CIDP. We suppleme nted the RCTs in theexisting CSRs by searching on the same date for RCTs of any treatment of CIDP (including treatment of fatigue or pain in CIDP), inthe Cochrane Neuromuscular Spe cialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL Plus.