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Archives for June 2018

CIDP IVIG – Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy

Jun 20

Are you experiencing tingling in your toes and fingers? How about weakness in the arms and legs? Do you find yourself complaining about CIDP IVIGextreme fatigue or loss of sensation? These are some of the most common symptoms of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) and CIDP IVIG treatment can help.

CIDP is a rare autoimmune and neurological disorder that attacks the nerves. In the United States, about 40,000 people are believed to have the condition, but it is hard to pin down an exact number.

What is CIDP?

Also called chronic relapsing polyneuropathy, the disorder is often caused by damage to the peripheral nerves (the nerves surrounding the outside of the brain) and the spinal cord. CIDP causes the immune system to attack the nerve covering, which is called myelin, causing nerve damage.

Some of the symptoms of the disease include a tingling sensation or numbness that typically starts in the toes and fingers. CIDP patients also experience progressive weakness, fatigue, and loss of sensation.

In the early stages of the disorder, patients usually complain of difficulties in accomplishing minor tasks such as climbing stairs or using a blow dryer. It typically takes about eight weeks for symptoms to develop fully.

Experts consider CIDP to be the chronic form of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). GBS is also an autoimmune disorder that attacks the nerves. The main difference between the two is the speed of progression of symptoms. CIDP develops slowly, while GBS is considered a neurological emergency.

At this point, there is no definitive diagnostic test for CIDP. Medical experts use a combination of patient history, neurological examinations, and other tests such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis and complete blood count (CBC). Sometimes, a nerve biopsy is also required.

Risk Factors for CIDPCIDP IVIG

So far, medical experts haven’t been able to pin down exactly why the disorder strikes some people and not others. Anyone can develop CIDP regardless of age or gender, but it is more common in older adults and tends to affect men more than women.  The typical age of onset is 30-60 years old. Having a previous infection also seems to be a risk factor that increases the chances of acquiring the condition.

CIDP IVIG Treatment Plan

If left untreated, CIDP can lead to the progressive loss of strength and sensation. Fortunately, even though the disorder is chronic, it is treatable. In fact, most patients respond very well to treatment. The most important thing is to diagnose the disease as early as possible, which increases the chances of better patient function and overall quality of life.

During treatment, the immediate goal is to control and suppress the symptoms of the disease such as pain, weakness, and sensory loss.

There are several standard treatments known to work for CIDP patients. For the last two decades, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy has been considered the primary treatment option.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is the general term used to refer to replacement therapy. According to a recent study, as much as 50-70% of patients have a positive response to this treatment. In a nutshell, with IVIG, the patient receives injections of antibodies from carefully screened human blood donors. Patients who receive IVIG often show signs of improvement in strength, functional ability and quality of life.

IVIG is proven by medical experts to be safe. It is often given as an outpatient procedure. For most patients, the standard dosage is 2g/kg given intravenously over 2–5 days. The dosage is then usually reduced to by 1g/kg for one day about every three weeks.

With IVIG, improvement can be seen just days after treatment. Some patients may experience side effects such as chills, muscle ache, fever, or rapid heartbeat. In most cases, however, these side effects can be avoided by slowing down the infusion rate.

Other Common CIDP TreatmentsCIDP IVIG

Other treatments known to work are plasma exchange therapy and the corticosteroids such as Prednisone.

In plasma exchange therapy, plasma is filtered from the blood and replaced with new fluid. It is often done with a tube or catheter inserted into a vein in the neck. At the start of the treatment, it is typically done five times during a ten-day period. Beneficial effects can last from four to twelve weeks.

Prednisone is a steroid often used to suppress the immune system. It is typically used for diseases such as asthma, Crohn’s disease, allergies, systemic lupus and more. CIDP patients can take Prednisone to help improve muscle strength and coordination, as well as to help strengthen nerve signals. Patients who opt to use Prednisone can expect to see results in five to eight weeks, but intake should continue for at least a year to achieve long-term effects.

If you have questions about CIDP or IVIG treatment for CIDP, you should speak with your doctor.

Filed Under: CIDP Tagged With: CIDP, Corinthian Health Services, IVIG Therapy

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How Does IVIG Treat Kawasaki Disease

Jun 6

Kawasaki Disease is a rare childhood illness and one of the leading causes of acquired heart disease in infants. The disease is typically IVIG Treat Kawasaki Diseasecharacterized by red rashes on the hands, feet, and body in children under the age of five. If left untreated, it can lead to dangerous heart conditions and, in the worst case scenario, myocardial infarction.

What is Kawasaki Disease?

The immune system attacks blood vessels in children, primarily of Asian descent. Antibodies attack medium-sized blood vessels (including arteries, veins, and capillaries), which leads to acute inflammation and a reduced flow of blood to the heart and valve muscles.

When this happens, the heart may not pump as efficiently, which, in turn, increases the risk of myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, and heart failure. Infants are at risk of aneurysms developing in enlarged blood vessels and clots in narrow ones.

The cause of Kawasaki Disease is unknown, though it’s believed to have a strong genetic component. Untreated symptoms pass through a series of three stages and last around two weeks before the child returns to normal.

Typical symptoms present themselves as a red rash on the hands, feet, and body along with a high fever (above 102.2 F) that lasts for more than five days. Conjunctivitis or red eye, red lips, and a swollen strawberry-colored tongue are typical in the early stages. You may also find swollen lymph nodes in the neck and swelling around the rashes in the hands and feet.

The second phase starts after a few days to a week. Parents often notice the skin peeling in large sheets around the fingers and toes. Vomiting and diarrhea along with abdominal and joint pain are common.

The final phase sees a reduction in the rash, peeling, and swelling and the symptoms slowly dissipate as the child returns to normal. Kawasaki Disease doesn’t usually present itself again and responds well to treatment. However, heart complications may persist if the disease is untreated.

Parents should consult a doctor if they notice a high fever for more than a few days along with the typical rash and strawberry tongue.

Risk Factorskawasaki risk factors

The exact cause of Kawasaki Disease is unknown. Common risk factors appear to be children between the age of one and five of Asian descent, and boys have a slightly higher risk than girls. However, 25% of cases involve infants younger than one and over the age of five. These cases are more likely to present an incomplete set of symptoms which is harder to identify and diagnose correctly.

It’s very likely that Kawasaki Disease has a strong genetic and environmental component. Experts also claim the prevalence varies between different seasons.

Treating Kawasaki Disease with IVIG

Diagnosing and treating Kawasaki Disease as early as possible is imperative to the health of the child. The longer the inflammation continues, the higher the risk of severe damage to blood vessels, heart muscles, and further complications. It is therefore of vital importance to get a correct diagnosis and begin treatment as early as possible. The purpose of treatment is to reduce the inflammation that can cause long-lasting damage to the circulatory system.

Typical treatment is a dose of aspirin and injections of IVIG. Aspirin reduces the risk of blood clots, and IVIG lowers inflammation. The latter are antibodies that are injected into the bloodstream to counter the inflammation, and has a high success rate.

Infants who undergo IVIG treatment typically experience coronary aneurysms in 1-5% of cases compared to 25% or greater in untreated patients.

Children may need to stay in the hospital under close observation by a team of cardiologists to ensure the treatment is reducing the inflammation. Maximum benefits from IVIG happen in the first ten days of manifestation. This is why it is so important for parents to identify symptoms and contact a medical professional as soon as possible.

Severe cases of Kawasaki Disease are extremely rare and are typically associated with no measurable response to the IVIG treatment. In cases like this, doctors will administer a course of corticosteroid therapy. Unfortunately, those who fail to respond to the IVIG are at a much higher risk of heart complications.

The vast majority of children fully recover and have no long-lasting effects after receiving early treatment. Parents should bring their child to be monitored after IVIG to ensure the cardiovascular system hasn’t suffered any irreversible damage.

Things to RememberIVIG Treat Kawasaki Disease

  • Kawasaki Disease usually presents itself in children of Asian descent between the ages of one and five.
  • The cardinal symptoms are a high fever with rashes on the hands, feet, and body with a swollen
  • Early diagnosis allows early treatment, which reduces the risk of complications and heart disease.
  • Proper treatment to reduce the inflammation, if administered in the first ten days, can mitigate the damage caused by Kawasaki Disease in most patients.

 

Filed Under: Infusion Clinics Tagged With: Corinthian Health Services, IVIG Therapy

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