title: Cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 and glial fibrillary acidic protein levels are increased during initial neuromyelitis optica attacks.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The current 2006 neuromyelitis optica (NMO) criteria is useful for diagnosing NMO, however this criteria seemed to be insufficient at early stage of NMO. Hence, the development of diagnostic marker besides anti-aquaporin 4 antibody at early stage of NMO may be required. Our main aim of this study is to test the usefulness of measuring cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) interleukin (IL)-6 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) concentrations as early diagnostic markers during initial NMO attacks.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated CSF IL-6 and GFAP concentrations in 13 NMO spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients at initial attacks, 24 idiopathic central nervous system inflammatory disease patients (9 optic neuritis, 9 myelitis and 6 encephalitis) and 20 other non-inflammatory neurological disorders (ONNDs) patients, retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean CSF IL-6 and GFAP concentrations during the initial NMOSD attack were 91.4 pg/ml and 369.3 ng/ml, respectively, and were significantly higher than in ONNDs, idiopathic optic neuritis and myelitis patients (P<0.01). The sensitivity of high CSF IL-6 during initial NMO attack was 76.9% and that of high CSF GFAP was 84.6%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggests that CSF IL-6 and GFAP may be useful early diagnostic markers of NMOSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. auzawa@chiba-u.jp
authors.forename: Akiyuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uzawa
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Setsu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sawai
authors.forename: Saeko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muto
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuwabara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6