The treatment of chronic relapsing and chronic progressive idiopathic inflammatory polyneuropathy by plasma exchange.

Observations are reported on the effects of plasma exchange on three patients with chronic relapsing idiopathic inflammatory polyneuropathy and three with the chronic progressive form of this disorder. Substantial temporary improvement occurred in two of the chronic relapsing cases in relation to repeated plasma exchanges, but only slight improvement in the remainder. A striking feature was the rapidity of the effect in the patients that improved. The significance of these observations in relation to pathogenesis and to clinical management of the disorder is discussed.