The Committee of the European

We validated MRI lesion load, OCB and age at CIS as the strongest independent predictors of conversion to CDMS in this multicentre setting. A role for vitamin D is suggested but requires further investigation.

The presence of oligoclonal IgM bands in CSF can be a prognostic marker in the early phases of MS.

The presence of lipid-specific immunoglobulin M bands in CSF predicts a more adverse long-term outcome in patients with MS; it may thus define a subset of patients who might benefit from aggressive treatment during the early phase of the disease.

The authors studied the intrathecal IgM synthesis (ITMS) in paired sera and CSF samples from 65 patients with MS, 28 with CNS infection, 40 with other neurologic diseases and eight control subjects. ITMS was found in 30 patients with MS and in 20 with CNS infection, but not in patients with other neurologic diseases or in control subjects. In infectious samples, the ITMS is likely a primary response. In MS group, it was associated with higher Expanded Disability Status Scale index (p = 0.017).