ANTI-GANGLIOSIDE ANTIBODIES IN GUILLAIN- BARRE SYNDROME AND CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DEMYELINATING POLYNEUROPATHY IN CHINESE PATIENTS

Introduction: In this study we investigated the relationships between anti-ganglioside antibodies and GuillainBarr e syndrome ( GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy ( CIDP). Methods: Samples from 48 Chinese patients diagnosed with GBS and 18 patients diagnosed with CIDP were retrospectively reviewed. Results: In the GBS patients, 62.5% were classified as having acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy ( AIDP), 27.1% were found to have acute motor axonal neuropathy ( AMAN), and 10.4% were unclassified. Serum IgG anti- ganglioside antibodies were detected in 46.2% of the AMAN patients and in 6.7% of the AIDP patients ( P < 0.05); 5.6% of the 18 CIDP patients were IgG antibody positive, and 27.8% were IgM antibody positive. Facial palsy and sensory impairment were significantly associated with IgM antibodies. Conclusions: These results suggest that IgG anti- GM1 antibodies are associated with AMAN, but not with AIDP, and that IgM antibodies against GM1, GM2, and GM3 are associated with facial nerve palsy.