Cerebrospinal fluid analysis differentiates between relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To find whether CSF analysis may differentiate between relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.


METHODS
In 17 patients with relapsing-remitting and 16 patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, all without current or recent relapses, albumin CSF: peripheral blood ratio, mononuclear cell number, CD4+, CD8+, and B1+ subsets, CD4+:CD8+ ratio, IgG, IgG index, IgM, IgM index, complement components C3 and C4, and C3 and C4 indices, myelin basic protein, neuron specific enolase, S100, and lactate were determined. For each measure the statistical distance measure D2 was calculated. For computation of a discriminant score variables with a P value< or =0.15 were included (two sided univariate t test). These were albumin CSF: peripheral blood ratio, mononuclear cell number, IgM, IgM index, C3, C4, neuron specific enolase, S100, and lactate. Simultaneous distributions of the variables were compared between both groups (multivariate t test) and a discriminant score was computed (linear discriminant analysis).


RESULTS
The discriminant score allocated all 14 relapsing-remitting patients to the relapsing-remitting group (positive score) and 12 of 13 secondary progressive patients to the secondary progressive group (negative score). One secondary progressive patient was allocated to the relapsing-remitting group.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with relapsing-remitting or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis differ in CSF profile and CSF analysis may help to differentiate between relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.
Jongen
P J
PJ
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Lamers
K J
KJ
Doesburg
W H
WH
Lemmens
W A
WA
Hommes
O R
OR
D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D007773:Lactates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012008:Recurrence; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous
D000418:Albumins; D015703:Antigens, CD; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007773:Lactates; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase