Study of oligoclonal bands restricted to the cerebrospinal fluid in multiple sclerosis patients in the city of São Paulo

Abstract

-The frequency of oligoclonal bands (OCB) restricted to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) varies widely in different populations. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of these OCB in a group of MS patients in the city of São Paulo. Techniques used to detect OCB consisted of isoelectric focusing followed by immunoblotting. Oligoclonal bands were found in 49 (54.4%) out of 90 patients with clinically definite MS; in (31.2%) of the 16 patients with clinically isolated syndrome; in 7 (17.9%) of 39 patients with inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system (IDCNS), and in none of the individuals with no neurological condition (control group). The specificity of the method was 100% when compared to the control group and 82.1% when compared to the IDCNS group. These results suggest that the frequency of CSF OCB is much lower in Brazilian MS patients from São Paulo city than that reported in MS series from Caucasian populations.KEY WORDS: multiple sclerosis, cerebrospinal fluid, oligoclonal bands, Brazilian population. estudo de bandas oligoclonais restritas ao líquido cefalorraquidiano em pacientes com esclerose múltipla na cidade de São paulo resumo -A frequência da detecção de bandas oligoclonais (BOC) restritas ao líquido cerebrorraquidiano (LCR) em pacientes com esclerose múltipla (EM) varia amplamente em diferentes populações. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a frequência destas BOC em pacientes com EM em amostra de população da cidade de São Paulo. A técnica utilizada para a detecção das BOC foi a focalização isoelétrica, seguida do immunoblotting. BOC foram detectadas: em 49 (54,4%) de 90 pacientes com EM clinicamente definida; em 5 (31,2%) de 16 pacientes com síndrome clínica isolada; em 7 (17,9%) de 30 pacientes com doenças inflamatórias do sistema nervoso central (DISNC); e em nenhum indivíduo sem doença neurológica. A especificidade do método foi 100% quando comparada ao grupo controle e 82,1% quando comparada ao grupo de DISNC. Estes resultados sugerem que a freqüência de BOC no LCR é mais baixa em pacientes da cidade de São Paulo portadores de EM do que aquelas descritas em populações caucasianas. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: esclerose múltipla, líquido cefalorraquidiano, bandas oligoclonais, população brasileira.

Antiparasitic antibodies occur with similar frequency in patients with clinically established multiple sclerosis with or without oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid

“…A recent study on patients with MS in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, showed that oligoclonal bands (OCB) are present in 54.4% of patients with MS. This rate is substantially lower than that described in Caucasian populations of Europe and North America, where OCB are registered in 90 to 95% of patients with MS. On the other hand, the values observed among patients from the city of São Paulo are similar to those described in other areas, such as China, Japan, Lebanon and India, where OCB are found in 30 to 60% of patients 7 .…”

“…The present laboratory study was conducted using surplus serum collected from patients with MS who were living in the city of São Paulo and had undergone investigations regarding the presence of OCB 7 . This study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Research Project Analysis in the institution carrying out the work.…”

“…The inclusion and exclusion criteria for patients in this sample were previously described by Gama et al 7 .…”

“…Reading of the material to identify OCB was carried out by means of a qualitative method, isoletric focusing, and the result was either presence or absence 7 . Validity tests to assess the sensitivity and specificity of OCB detection method in these patients, as well as descriptive statistics relating to gender, ethnic background and MS presentation, were reported by Gama et al…”

Associations of HLA DRB1 Alleles with Igg Oligoclonal Bands and Their Influence on Multiple Sclerosis Course and Disability Status

“…Oligoclonal immunoglobulin G (IgG) bands (OCBs) are present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the majority (85 -95%) of clinically definite MS patients and are believed to reflect the intrathecal synthesis of IgG antibodies [8,9]. OCBs are detected in 76 -97% Western Europeans with MS [10][11][12] and 55 -56% MS patients in Asian countries [13][14][15][16]. These differences may be related to the both geographical location and ethnic features, as well as immunogenetic factors, that influence intrathecal humoral immune function [11][12][13][14][15][16][17].…”