title: Utility of anti-Hu antibodies in the diagnosis of paraneoplastic sensory neuropathy.
abstract: Anti-Hu antibodies (Hu-Abs) were positive in 40 patients with paraneoplastic sensory neuropathy (PSN) and in 1 patient with idiopathic sensory neuropathy in a series of 126 patients who presented with clinical features suggestive of PSN. The specificity of Hu-Abs was 99% and the sensitivity was 82%. Nine (18%) PSN patients were Hu-Ab-negative, and their sera did not harbor other specific anti-neuronal or anti-ganglioside antibodies. Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) was the leading neoplasm in the Hu-Ab-positive (79%) and Hu-Ab-negative (44%) groups. This study confirms the value of Hu-Abs for the diagnosis of PSN and SCLC and also emphasizes that in patients with possible PSN, the absence of Hu-Abs does not exclude cancer, particularly in those patients with risk factors for SCLC.
authors.affiliation: Service of Neurology, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica August Pi i Sunyer, (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Molinuevo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Graus
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reñe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Illa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications; D051959:ELAV Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D051959:ELAV Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins