Serum anti-ganglioside antibody in inflammatory demyelinating neuropathies *
Serum anti-ganglioside antibodies in Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), Fisher syndrome (FS), and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and compared with their clinical symptoms and electrophysiological examinations. The severity of muscular weakness in the four extremities correlated with the anti-GM 1, GD 1 a and GD 1 b antibodies. Disturbances of eyeball movement correlated with the anti-GQ 1 b antibody. Electrophysiological examinations showed 14 of 17 patients with GBS to be of the demyelinating type and two were of the axonal type. Both axonal type patients had a high anti-GM 1 antibody titer and their preceding symptom was diarrhea, suggesting the possibility of Campylobacter jejuni infection. No significant correlation with CIDP and anti-ganglioside antibodies was found. (Accepted on September 3, 1998) Kawasaki Igakkaishi 24 (3): 123-130, 1998
