IgM anti-GM1 antibody titers in patients with monomelic amyotrophy.
BACKGROUND
Monomelic amyotrophy (MMA) is a benign motor neuron disorder, which particularly affects young people and the etiology is still unknown. Gangliosides are located on the outer surface of motor neurons. Anti-GM1 antibodies have been found to be elevated in multi-focal motor neuropathy with conduction block and other neurological diseases, which may have therapeutic implication.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate IgM anti-GM1 antibody titers in patients of monomelic amyotrophy.


METHODS
prospective controlled study.


METHODS
Forty-six clinically and electrophysiologically diagnosed cases of MMA were assessed for IgM anti-GM1 antibody titers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method and compared with titers in healthy controls, cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP). Titer of 800 units was taken as upper limit of normal (Buhlmann Laboratories AG, Switzerland).


METHODS
one-way ANOVA.


RESULTS
The mean age of 46 patients with MMA was 24.5 (+/- 7.3) years, with male female ratio of 44:2. The mean age of 19 healthy controls was 24.1 (+/- 3) years with male: female ratio of 18:1. Five (26%) individuals in the healthy control group, 22 (48%) patients of MMA, four (30%) of ALS and five (50%) of AIDP had high titers of IgM anti-GM1 antibody (P> 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Although larger number of patients with MMA had higher IgM anti-GM1 antibody titers, the difference was not statistically significant from titers of healthy individuals and of patients in the ALS and AIDP group.
Khandelwal
Dinesh
D
Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi - 110 029, India.
Bhatia
Manvir
M
Vivekanandan
S
S
Singh
Sumit
S
Shukla
Garima
G
Goyal
Vinay
V
Behari
Madhuri
M
D000328:Adult; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016537:Gangliosidosis, GM1 / Q000276:immunology*; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000906:Antibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M