Electrophysiological predictors of response to subcutaneous immunoglobulin therapy in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

Ellen & Martin Prosserman Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. Department of Neurology, UKD and Center for Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, LVR Klinikum, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Australia; Medical University of Vienna, Austria. CSL Behring, Marburg, Germany. CSL Behring, King of Prussia, PA, USA. Ellen & Martin Prosserman Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. Electronic address: vera.bril@utoronto.ca.

Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. 2021;132(9):2184-2190
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess axonal function prior to subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) therapy or placebo in relation to relapse in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) to determine whether axonal damage can predict therapy response. METHODS Relapse rates in patients from the Polyneuropathy and Treatment with Hizentra (PATH) study, where patients were treated with placebo or SCIG (IgPro20), were analyzed by baseline (post-intravenous immunoglobulin stabilization) axonal damage (≤1 mV peroneal compound muscle action potential) status. RESULTS In patients with non-axonal damage, relapses were significantly higher with placebo (73.0%) than IgPro20 (0.2 g/kg: 39.1%, 0.4 g/kg: 19.2%). In patients with axonal damage, IgPro20 had no effect on relapse (placebo: 25.0%, IgPro20: 0.2 g/kg: 30.0%, 0.4 g/kg: 19.4%). Patients with axonal damage relapsed significantly less on placebo versus non-axonal damage, but they also demonstrated higher baseline disability. CONCLUSION Axonal damage may correspond to relapse upon treatment withdrawal; patients with axonal damage relapse less, possibly reflecting poor response to immunoglobulin therapy, while non-axonal damage patients may experience more relapse, perhaps indicating better treatment response. SIGNIFICANCE In CIDP patients with axonal loss, immunoglobulin therapy may not be as effective. Assessing axonal damage could help guide therapy, with immunoglobulins ideally used before substantial axonal damage arises.
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Language : eng
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