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IgM anti-GM1 antibodies in the Guillain–Barré syndrome: a serological predictor of the clinical course

1997; Elsevier BV; Volume: 72; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0165-5728(96)00145-2

1872-8421

Einar Bech, Torben F. Ørntoft, Leif P. Andersen, Peter Skinhøj, Johannes Jakobsen,

Myasthenia Gravis and Thymoma

It has been suggested that antibodies against GM1 are involved in the pathogenesis of the Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS). Recently, we have developed a standardized ELISA assay for anti-GM1 antibodies of IgM type well-suited for longitudinal patient studies. The relationship between serum antibodies against GM1 and Campylobacter jejuni was investigated in patients with GBS and in patients with C. jejuni infection. Patients with a short-lasting anti-GM1 elevation had a fast recovery, whereas patients with slow recovery had a long-lasting anti-GM1 elevation. A linear relationship was found between significant clinical recovery and the time until the anti-GM1 peak was halved (R = 0.9, p < 0.01). The absolute level of anti-GM1 did not predict the length of the recovery nor was the level of anti-GM1 related to the clinical disability at its nadir. Our data indicate that monitoring of the IgM anti-GM1 level can predict clinical recovery in GBS patients.