title: Severe Guillain-Barré syndrome: an association with IgA anti-cardiolipin antibody in a series of 92 patients.
abstract: To determine whether anti-cardiolipin antibodies (ACA) are associated with acute Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), we studied sera from 92 patients with GBS, 82 age- and sex-matched hospital controls and 24 patients with uncomplicated cytomegalovirus or Campylobacter jejuni infection, using an isotype-specific ACA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IgA ACA titres (but not IgG ACA or IgM ACA) were significantly elevated (P = 0.002) in GBS patients compared to controls, and associated with peak disease severity (P = 0.01), but not initial or residual disability, nor duration of neuropathy. Abnormal IgG ACA may cause or result from myelin damage in GBS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Renal Medicine, United Medical Dental School, Guy's Hospital, London, U.K.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frampton
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Winer
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D002308:Cardiolipins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M