Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy associated with active systemic lupus erythematous: Anifrolumab as a potentially successful add-on therapy to intravenous immunoglobulins

Abstract

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is an acquired, autoimmune peripheral neuropathy, rarely reported as being associated with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). We report the case of 53-year-old women with a long history of SLE, diagnosed with CIDP during a lupus flare beginning with progressive muscle weakness of lower and upper limbs, without affection of the central nervous system. She received treatment with steroids, intravenous immunoglobulins and anifrolumab and showed clinical and immunological improvement. It is important to take into account the presence of peripheral neurological disorders in patients with SLE, considering CIDP as an uncommon manifestation. Controlling severe active disease is an imperative issue to manage this neurological manifestation which has a serious impact on health-related quality of life and physical function.

Keywords: Polyradiculoneuropathy; anifrolumab; chronic inflammatory demyelinating; immunoglobulins; systemic lupus erythematous.