title: Diagnostic value of anti-GM1 ganglioside serology and validation of the INCAT-ELISA.
abstract: The Inflammatory Neuropathy and Treatment (INCAT) group developed a standardized ELISA method for the detection of serum anti-GM1 antibodies. The diagnostic value of anti-GM1 antibodies determined by this method has not yet been established in large groups of patients. We assessed the reproducibility, sources of variation, optimal cut-off values and evaluated the diagnostic relevance of the INCAT-ELISA in various groups of patients and controls (N=1232). The coefficient of variance was 11.2% for IgM and 3.8% for IgG. High IgG titers were only found in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. High IgM titers were associated with GBS and multifocal motor neuropathy. Low IgM titers had no additional diagnostic value. The INCAT-ELISA is a reliable test with additional diagnostic value in specific clinical situations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.kuijf@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Mark L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kuijf
authors.forename: Pieter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: van Doorn
authors.forename: Anne P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Tio-Gillen
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Geleijns
authors.forename: C Wim
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Ang
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hooijkaas
authors.forename: Wim C J
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hop
authors.forename: Bart C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000276:immunology*; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside