Bladder and bowel dysfunction in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy

Kazuhiro Ishii; Akira Tamaoka; Youshi Fujita; Shin'ichi Shoji

doi:10.1016/j.ejim.2004.10.021

Bladder and bowel dysfunction in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy

Eur J Intern Med. 2005 Jun;16(3):211-213. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2004.10.021.

Authors

Kazuhiro Ishii¹, Akira Tamaoka, Youshi Fujita, Shin'ichi Shoji

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neurology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Ten'noudai, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken, 305-8575, Japan.

PMID: 15967342
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2004.10.021

Abstract

We present a patient with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) who developed severe bladder and bowel dysfunction (BBD) as evidenced by constipation, voiding difficulty, and urinary urgency. These symptoms appeared 10 years after onset of CIDP. Cystometry showed disturbance of bladder sensation and detrusor areflexia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed greatly enlarged nerve roots filling the lumbosacral spinal canal; this appeared to be the likely cause of BBD. A 3-day course of intravenous methylprednisolone (1 g/day), followed by 30 mg/day of oral prednisolone, ameliorated the sensory disturbance and muscle weakness, but not BBD.