Sharjah, UAE – May, 2024 – Aster Hospital Sharjah recently helped a 46-year-old school teacher regain control of her life and career through successful treatment of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), a rare autoimmune disorder, which was leading to loss of physical strength and sensation.

Mrs. Annie Cherian’s journey began six months ago when she started experiencing weakness in all four limbs, making daily activities like standing up from a squatting position or combing her hair challenging. This gradual worsening of symptoms led her to seek medical attention at Aster Hospital Sharjah.

After thorough investigations and diagnosis by Dr. Rajesh Chaudhary, Specialist Neurologist at Aster Hospital Sharjah, Mrs. Cherian was diagnosed with CIDP, a condition that affects approximately 1-2 per 100,000 people annually. Sensory loss, weakness, and loss of reflexes characterize CIDP due to nerve damage. A rare autoimmune disorder, CIPD affects the peripheral nerves and may occur with other conditions like diabetes, chronic hepatitis, IBD, cancer among others. Basic symptoms can include problems in walking due to lack of strength, loss of sensation, trouble using arms and legs, sense of tingling or pain among others.

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Dr. Rajesh Chaudhary, Specialist Neurologist at Aster Hospital Sharjah explained, ” CIDP presents unique treatment dilemmas, particularly when co-existing with conditions such as diabetes mellitus. In Mrs. Cherian’s case, we had to carefully weigh our treatment options. Steroids, a common choice in CIDP management, were not viable due to their potential to exacerbate her diabetic status. This led us to explore alternative therapies, ultimately opting for Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG). While IVIG is highly effective in CIDP, its cost and monitoring requirements can pose significant challenges. Nevertheless, given its rapid relief potential and Mrs. Cherian’s positive response, IVIG emerged as the preferred treatment course.”

Expressing her gratitude, Mrs. Annie Cherian said, “I am incredibly thankful to Dr. Rajesh Chaudhary and the entire medical team at Aster Hospital Sharjah. Their expertise and care not only helped me recover remarkably and restore my strength but also made me aware of autoimmune diseases’ impact and the importance of timely medical intervention. Aster Hospital Sharjah’s dedication to patient care is commendable, and I thank them for giving me my life back.”

Mrs. Cherian’s successful treatment at Aster Hospital Sharjah highlights the hospital’s commitment to delivering advanced medical care and raising awareness about rare diseases like CIDP.