Clinical Challenges in Management of Inflammatory Neuropathies

This thesis aimed to identify patient or disease markers that predict “burnt out” in patients with inflammatory neuropathies (complex nerve disorders that cause limb weakness, numbness and balance issues). This impacts disease management and administration of expensive drugs (eg intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg)) with serious side effects. The research found that neurofilament light chain, a protein, can differentiate stable from unstable disease, and protein concentration correlates with an “active disease”. The protein level could guide ongoing treatment. Finally, the thesis concluded that IVIg significantly increases risk of heart attacks, strokes, and venous clots, independent of other risk factors for clots.