Polyneuropathy attributes: a comparison between patients with anti-MAG and anti-sulfatide antibodies.
Thirty-two patients with a peripheral neuropathy and paraproteinemia were tested for IgM antibodies against myelin-associated protein (MAG) and sulfatide by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Nine patients (28 %) had increased anti-sulfatide IgM antibodies and showed a chronic, slowly progressive, distally pronounced, and symmetric polyneuropathy with sensory to sensory-motor impairment, ataxia, hyporeflexia, and axonal involvement in electrophysiological studies. Ten patients (31 %) with increased anti-MAG antibodies had a similar, homogeneous polyneuropathy syndrome but presented with demyelinating features. A weak cross-reactivity between anti-MAG and anti-sulfatide antibodies was present in only three patients. In conclusion, although the two neuropathy groups clearly differed in their electrophysiological features, their clinical presentation was rather similar.
Erb
S
S
Department of Neurology, University of Basel, Switzerland.
Ferracin
F
F
Fuhr
P
P
Rösler
K M
KM
Hess
C W
CW
Kuntzer
T
T
Bogousslavsky
J
J
Sztajzel
R
R
Steck
A J
AJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018450:Disease Progression; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology
D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein