Abstract

LIMA, Eduardo et al. Anti-Myelin Autoantibodies in Multiple Sclerosis. Arq Med [online]. 2008, vol.22, n.4-5, pp.107-111. ISSN 2183-2447.

Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a primary demyelinating disease of autoimmune ethiology with different immunopathologic mechanisms. Anti-myelin autoantibodies may be associated with myelin damage and a possible marker of the disease evolution. However, the clinical usefulness of these autoantibodies is questionable as they may be present in healthy individuals. The aim of this work was the evaluation of autoantibodies against myelin in patients with MS comparatively with control samples, and their association with differents clinical types. Methology: For the search of anti-myelin antibodies we used indirect immunofluorescence in primate peripheral nerves (EUROIMMUN®). Thirty four patients (14 female/11 male) followed in the Neurology department were studied: 8 with the Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) with relapse, 11 with Relapsing/Remitting (RR) in remission, 11 with RR with relapse and 4 with Primary Progressive (PP); 25 samples of healthy individuals (26 female/8 male) were studied as controls. Results: The presence of autoantibodies to myelin was signifiantly different in the two studied populations (p<0.001). Within the different clinical types we found a prevalence of 87.5% in CIS, 77.3% in RR and 75.0% in the patients with PP. Most patients (94.7%) in relapse had antibodies against myelin versus 60.0% of those in remision. In the control group, 32.0% presented anti-myelin antibodies. Conclusions: Although this test was not specific for MS, in the patient population studied the presence of anti-myelin antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence was higher in those in relapse. Until new and better serologic markers are available, this test may be useful to monitor patients with possible or definitive diagnosis of MS, in witch the presence of anti-myelin antibodies may support a possible relapse.

Keywords : multiple sclerosis; auto-antibody; myelin; indirect immunofluorescence.

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