HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sharief, M. K. Articles by Thomas, E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sharief, M. K. Articles by Thomas, E.

Significance of CSF immunoglobulins in monitoring neurologic disease activity in Behçet's disease

Department of Clinical Neurochemistry (Drs. Sharief and Thomas), The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK; and the Department of Neuro-Psychiatry (Dr. Hentges), Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.

We examined the intrathecal production of immunoglobulins (Ig) G, A, and M in 16 patients with Behçet's disease, 13 of whom have CNS involvement, and in 40 neurologic controls. Oligoclonal IgA and IgM bands were mainly detected in CSF samples from patients with active neuro-Behçet's disease and were documented to disappear when neurologic manifestations remit. Oligoclonal IgG bands, however, were not related to disease activity and were also found in some neurologic controls. High immunoglobulin index values were detected in both active and quiescent diseases and were high in some patients with impaired blood-CSF barriers. The study presented here demonstrates that CSF oligoclonal IgA and IgM may be helpful in monitoring CNS disease activity in neuro-Behçet's and could be useful in understanding the pathogenesis of this disease.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. M.K. Sharief, Clinical Neurochemistry, The National Hospital, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.

Received November 13, 1990. Accepted for publication in final form February 15, 1991.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Domiciano, J. Carvalho, and Y. Shoenfeld Pathogenic role of anti-endothelial cell antibodies in autoimmune rheumatic diseases Lupus, November 1, 2009; 18(13): 1233 - 1238. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Kidd, A Steuer, A. M. Denman, and P. Rudge Neurological complications in Behcet's syndrome Brain, November 1, 1999; 122(11): 2183 - 2194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. J. H. Jongen, H. E. M. Daelmans, B. Bruneel, and M. R. den Hartog Humoral and Cellular Immunologic Study of Cerebrospinal Fluid in a Patient With Behcet Encephalitis Arch Neurol, October 1, 1992; 49(10): 1075 - 1078. [Abstract] [PDF]