title: A study of oligoclonal band negative multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether oligoclonal band (OCB) negative multiple sclerosis is a reliable diagnosis and, if so, whether it has a distinctive prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective and matched prospective comparison of the clinical and laboratory features of patients with clinical definite multiple sclerosis with and without intrathecal synthesis of oligoclonal IgG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty four patients were identified with apparent OCB negative clinically definite multiple sclerosis. The results of oligoclonal banding proved to have been equivocal in 14 of 34; the clinical diagnosis of multiple sclerosis was questionable in 8 of 34. The remaining 12 patients with "true" OCB negative multiple sclerosis were significantly less disabled than matched OCB positive controls. Re-examination of CSF-serum pairs from six OCB negative patients showed that three remained OCB negative while three showed evidence of intrathecal synthesis of OCBs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OCB negative clinically definite multiple sclerosis is rare and should be diagnosed with caution; in unequivocal cases it seems to have a relatively benign prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University of London, UK.
authors.forename: A Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Zeman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kidd
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: McLean
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rudge
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: W I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands