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Blood‐CSF barrier integrity in multiple sclerosis
Author(s) -
Liebsch R.,
Kornhuber M. E.,
Dietl D.,
Einsiedel H. Gräfin,
Conrad B.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1996.tb00052.x
Subject(s) - multiple sclerosis , medicine , lesion , spinal cord , cerebrospinal fluid , pathology , lumbar , central nervous system disease , central nervous system , lumbar puncture , gastroenterology , immunology , surgery , psychiatry
Introduction ‐ In about 20% of MS patients an increased CSF/serum albumin quotient (Q Alb ) has been observed. The reason for this blood‐CSF barrier dysfunction is yet unclear. Subjects and methods ‐ Q Alb values from 48 MS patients in relapse were correlated with parameters of active CNS lesions as measured by gadolinium‐DTPA MRIs. Q Alb values from 20 MS patients without relapse served as controls. Results ‐ Mean Q Alb values (×10 3 ) of a group with spinal cord lesions (7.6±3.6; n=16) differed significantly from those of a control group (4.6±1.5; n=20; p<0.005) as well as from those of a group with supratentorial lesions (5.0±1.8; n=18; p<0.05), and were higher than those of a group with infratentorial lesions (5.8±2.8; n=14). Q Alb values of patients with a spinal lesion tended to decrease with increasing time intervals between onset of relapse and lumbar puncture. Conclusions ‐ The data is in consent with the present knowledge on flow dynamics of both extracellular fluid and CSF. As a clinical consequence, increased Q Alb values in MS patients may hint at an active spinal or, less likely, infratentorial lesion.