What is the Difference Between CIDP and MS

The key difference between CIDP and MS is that CIDP involves inflammation of nerve roots and nerves of the peripheral nervous system and destruction of the myelin sheath, while MS involves inflammation of nerve fibers of the central nervous system and the destruction of the myelin sheath of nerve fibers.

Myelin sheath disorders are neurological disorders. When the myelin coat is damaged, it affects the ability to send and receive electrical messages. This condition is also known as demyelination. There are two types of myelin sheath disorders: peripheral nervous system demyelinating disorders (chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIPD), Guillain Barre syndrome) and central nervous system demyelinating disorders (multiple sclerosis (MS), optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, and neuromyelitis optica).

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is CIDP 
3. What is MS
4. Similarities – CIDP and MS
5. CIDP vs MS in Tabular Form
6. Summary – CIDP vs MS

What is CIDP (Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy)?

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIPD) is a neurological disorder in which there is inflammation of nerve roots and nerves of the peripheral nervous system and destruction of the fatty protective covering of nerve fibers called the myelin sheath. It is also known as chronic relapsing polyneuropathy. It affects roughly 5 to 7 of every 10, 000 people. The symptoms of this medical condition include tingling in the arms and legs, the gradual weakening of arms and legs, loss of reflexes, loss of balance and the ability to walk, and loss of feeling in the arms and legs that often starts with the inability to feel a pinprick.

CIPD occurs when the immune system attacks the myelin cover of the nerves (autoimmune disease). CIPD may also occur with other conditions such as chronic hepatitis, diabetes, infection with the bacterium Camphylobacter jejuni, HIV/AIDS, immune system disorder due to cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, cancer of the lymph system, overactive thyroid, and side effects of medicines to treat cancer or HIV.

This condition can be diagnosed with questionnaires, physical examinations, and nerve conduction tests. Furthermore, CIPD treatments include corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), plasma exchange, immune therapy, and stem cells therapy.

What is MS (Multiple Sclerosis)?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disorder in which there is inflammation of nerve fibers of the central nervous system and the destruction of the myelin sheath. It is the most common type of demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. It affects about 1 million people in the United States. It is considered an autoimmune disease. The triggers of this condition may include age (occurs between 20 and 40 age), sex (women affected more), family history, certain infections (Epstein Barr infection), race (white people of Northern European descent), climate, low level of Vitamin D, other autoimmune diseases such as thyroid disease, pernicious anemia, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, and smoking.

The symptoms of this condition may include numbness or weakness of one or more limbs, electric shock sensation in the neck, tremor, lack of coordination, partial or complete loss of vision, prolonged double vision, blurry vision, slurred speech, fatigue, dizziness, tingling or pain in parts of the body and problems with sexual, bowel, or bladder function. The diagnosis of this condition can be done through blood tests, spinal taps (lumber puncture), MRI, and evoked potential test.

Furthermore, multiple sclerosis treatment options may include corticosteroids, plasma exchange, physical therapy, muscle relaxants (baclofen), medication to reduce fatigue (amantadine), medication to increase walking speed (dalfampridine), and other medications such as medicines for depression, pain, sexual dysfunction, insomnia, bladder or bowel control problems.

What are the Similarities Between CIDP and MS?

• CIDP and MS are two demyelinating disorders.
• Both are neurological disorders.
• Both disorders damage and destroy the myelin sheath.
• They are caused due to autoimmune conditions.
• Both disorders have similar symptoms, such as numbness and weakness in body parts.
• They are treatable with anti-inflammatory medications such as corticosteroids.

What is the Difference Between CIDP and MS?

CIDP is a neurological disorder caused due to an inflammation of nerve roots and nerves of the peripheral nervous system and destruction of the myelin sheath, while MS is a neurological disorder caused due to an inflammation of nerve fibers of the central nervous system and the destruction of the myelin sheath. Thus, this is the key difference between CIDP and MS.

Furthermore, the triggers of CIPD include chronic hepatitis, diabetes, infection with the bacterium Camphylobacter jejuni, HIV/AIDS, immune system disorder due to cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, cancer of the lymph system, overactive thyroid, and side effects of medicines to treat cancer or HIV. On the other hand, the triggers of MS include age (occurs between 20 and 40 age), sex (women affected more), family history, certain infections (Epstein Barr infection), race (white people of Northern European descent), climate, low level of Vitamin D, other autoimmune diseases such as thyroid disease, pernicious anemia, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, and smoking.

The below infographic presents the differences between CIDP and MS in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – CIDP vs MS

CIDP and MS are two demyelinating (myelin sheath) disorders. CIDP occurs due to an inflammation of nerve roots and nerves of the peripheral nervous system and destruction of the myelin sheath. MS occurs due to an inflammation of nerve fibers of the central nervous system and the destruction of the myelin sheath. So, this is the key difference between CIDP and MS.

Reference:

1.“CIDP: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment.” WebMD.
2. “Multiple Sclerosis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Image Courtesy:

1. “CIDP Histopathology Teased fibre” By Marvin 101 – Own work (Original text: Benutzer:Marvin_101) (CC BY-SA 3.0 de) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Multiple Sclerosis” By BruceBlaus – (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia