title: Electrodiagnostic findings related to anti-GM1 and anti-GQ1b antibodies in Guillain-Barré syndrome.
abstract: Antibodies against the gangliosides GM1 and GQ1b may induce conduction failure in mice. To investigate their possible site of action in the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), we studied the relation between serum anti-GM1 and anti-GQ1b antibodies and electromyography in 124 GBS patients. Anti-GM1 antibodies were found in 22 (18%) and anti-GQ1b antibodies in 5 (4%) patients. Anti-GM1 antibodies were associated with low distal compound muscle action potential amplitudes and relatively high compound sensory nerve action potential (CSNAP) amplitudes. In none of the patients with anti-GQ1b antibodies could CSNAPs be detected. Patients with anti-GM1 and anti-GQ1b antibodies were heterogenous with respect to electrodiagnostic features exclusive fordemyelination oraxonal degeneration, although the anti-GM1 positive patients tended to have more axonal degeneration. In conclusion, electromyographic studies indicate selective and more severe damage of motor nerves in patients with anti-GM1 antibodies, while patients with anti-GQ1b antibodies have more severe damage of sensory nerves. These antibodies may interfere with the electrophysiologic properties of different nerve fibers and thereby contribute to the clinical heterogeneity in GBS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meulstee
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: van Doorn
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: van der Meché
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D004576:Electromyography; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000276:immunology*; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000276:immunology*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000276:immunology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D005732:Gangliosides; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; C039129:GQ1b ganglioside