Journal
AFRICAN HEALTH SCIENCES
Volume 14, Issue 2, Pages 434-438Publisher
MAKERERE UNIV, FAC MED
DOI: 10.4314/ahs.v14i2.20
Keywords
nodding syndrome; epilepsy; anti-neuronal antibodies; pyridoxal-phosphate
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Background: Nodding syndrome (NS) is a seemingly progressive epilepsy disorder of unknown underlying cause. We investigated association of pyridoxal-phosphate serum levels and occurrence of anti-neuronal antibodies against N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and voltage gated potassium channel (VGKC) complex in NS patients. Methods: Sera of a Tanzanian cohort of epilepsy and NS patients and community controls were tested for the presence of anti-NMDA-receptor and anti-VGKC complex antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Furthermore pyridoxal-phosphate levels were measured. Results: Auto-antibodies against NMDA receptor or VGKC (LG1 or Caspr2) complex were not detected in sera of patients suffering from NS (n=6), NS plus other seizure types (n=16), primary generalized epilepsy (n=1) and community controls without epilepsy (n=7). Median Pyridoxal-phosphate levels in patients with NS compared to patients with primary generalized seizures and community controls were not significantly different. However, these median pyridoxalphosphate levels are significantly lower compared to the range considered normal in Europeans. Conclusions: In this pilot study NS was not associated with serum anti-NMDA-receptor or anti-VGKC complex antibodies and no association to pyridoxal-phosphate serum levels was found.
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