BACKGROUND: Immune-mediated neuropathies, such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) are treatable neuropathies. Among individuals with diabetic neuropathy, it remains a challenge to identify those individuals who develop CIDP. Corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) has been shown to detect corneal nerve fiber loss and cellular infiltrates in the sub-basal layer of the cornea. The objective of the study was to determine whether CCM can distinguish diabetic neuropathy from CIDP and whether CCM can detect CIDP in persons with coexisting diabetes. METHODS: In this multicenter, case-control study, participants with CIDP (n = 55) with (n = 10) and without (n = 45) diabetes; participants with diabetes (n = 58) with (n = 28) and without (n = 30) diabetic neuropathy, and healthy controls (n = 58) underwent CCM. Corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD), corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL), corneal nerve branch density (CNBD), and dendritic and non-dendritic cell density, with or without nerve fiber contact were quantified. RESULTS: Dendritic cell density in proximity to corneal nerve fibers was significantly higher in participants with CIDP with and without diabetes compared to participants with diabetic neuropathy and controls. CNFD, CNFL, and CNBD were equally reduced in participants with CIDP, diabetic neuropathy, and CIDP with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in dendritic cell density identifies persons with CIDP. CCM may, therefore, be useful to differentiate inflammatory from non-inflammatory diabetic neuropathy.

• MeSH
• chronická zánětlivá demyelinizační polyneuropatie diagnóza   epidemiologie   MeSH
• dendrity patologie   MeSH
• diabetes mellitus 2. typu diagnóza   epidemiologie   MeSH
• diabetické neuropatie diagnóza   epidemiologie   MeSH
• diferenciální diagnóza MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• konfokální mikroskopie metody   normy   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nervová vlákna patologie   MeSH
• rohovka patologie   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• studie případů a kontrol MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH