title: Serial cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament heavy chain levels in severe Guillain-Barré syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Proximal axonotmesis results in the release of neurofilament (Nf) proteins into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). High CSF levels of the phosphorylated form of Nf-heavy chain (NfH(SMI35) ) at GBS onset have been reported to be a poor prognostic marker, but routine measurement of CSF NfH(SMI35) levels has not been done and the longitudinal profile of CSF NfH(SMI35) levels in GBS is not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective case series describes the clinical, neurophysiological, and biomarker characteristics of 3 patients with severe GBS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High and increasing levels of CSF NfH(SMI35) in serial CSF samples were associated with poor clinical and electrophysiological outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data further suggest that CSF NfH(SMI35) could be a prognostic biomarker which might indicate the development of retrograde axonal degeneration or additional proximal axonal damage during the course of GBS.
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade Faculty of Medicine Department of Neurology & Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dujmovic
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Lunn
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petzold
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins