title: Serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptors levels in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the serum concentrations of Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and soluble TNF receptors (s TNF-RI and TNF-RII) in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), before and after treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The serum TNF-alpha and the soluble TNF receptors concentrations were measured by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 47 patients with GBS before and after the treatment - IVI therapy (n=26); Plasma Exchange (n=21).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the time of admission, the serum TNF-alpha concentrations were elevated (32.5-182.5 pg/ml) in 41/47 GBS patients (87.2%). Following the treatment (IVIG or PE), there was a significant decrease in the serum TNF-alpha concentrations (8.5-58.5 pg/ml) in these 41 GBS patients. The soluble TNF receptors, particularly sTNF-RII concentrations were significantly increased in GBS patients treated by IVIG therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this indicated that (a) Elevated serum concentrations of TNF-alpha showed a positive correlation with the disease severity in patients with GBS. (b) The decrease in the serum TNF-alpha and increase in the serum soluble TNF receptors, particularly sTNF-RII showed a positive correlation with the neurological recovery in GBB patients following treatment.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology Neurology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvanthapuram, Kerala, India. vvr@sctimst.ker.nic.in
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Radhakrishnan
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reuben
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathai
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Nair
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000068800:Etanercept; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000097:blood*; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000068800:Etanercept