Walsh & Hoyt: Natural History and Prognosis

There are several clinical profiles of CIDP, although the most common are monophasic with relapse and relapsing-remitting. The longer patients are followed, the more likely relapses will be documented. Many relapsing cases resolve after a few years. Patients with a relapsing course tend to have a more favorable prognosis than do those with a chronic progressive course. The clinical course may be influenced by the treatments outlined previously. The mortality of CIDP ranges from 510%, with death usually resulting from intercurrent infections. Most patients treated with systemic corticosteroids, IVIg, plasma exchange, or a combination of these modalities, have a reasonably good prognosis. In various larger series, 26 to 30% make a complete recovery, and about 40% recover with minimal impairment of neurologic function.