Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
What is CIDP?
CIDP stands for Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. CIDP is when the body’s immune system slowly attacks the peripheral nerves. The disease causes weakness or paralysis of the legs and arms. CIDP is categorized as an autoimmune disease because the body’s defenses attack and strip away the covering that protects the nerves. This cover is called the myelin sheath. However, in later stages of the disease, the immune system breaks through the myelin covering and attacks the nerves themselves. Additionally, CIDP is related to Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) or Acute Inflammatory Demyelinat