Autoimmune nodopathies
Fehmi J., Rinaldi S.
© 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Autoimmune nodopathies refers to a discrete group of peripheral neuropathies caused by autoantibodies directed against proteins or glycolipids embedded in the axonal or Schwann cell membranes of the node of Ranvier and/or flanking paranodes. Recent advances have highlighted an emerging group of patients, in particular with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), who harbour antibodies specific to nodal proteins. These patients are phenotypically distinct, and importantly respond poorly to standard therapies. These findings offer an opportunity to better understand the pathological mechanisms responsible for nerve damage in patients with inflammatory neuropathies, as well as prompt the use of more targeted treatment to specific patient groups.