Correlation of the IgG index and oligoclonal bands in the CSF of patients with multiple sclerosis

Klíčová slova oligoklonální pásy – mozkomíšní mok – IgG index – roztroušená skleróza Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between IgG index values and the number of the oligoclonal IgG bands (OCB) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Material and Methods: The set of 150 patients consisted of 41 males and 109 females (aged 18–68, mean 36.6 ± 10.1 years). The CSF collected by a lumbar puncture was examined evaluating intrathecal synthesis using the IgG index and determining OCB. The number of alkaline OCB in the CSF was assessed using the method of isoelectric focusation. Pearson's correlation analysis, and homogeneity χ test , Mann-Whitney test, paired-sample t-test (parametric) and Wilcoxon signed-ranks test (nonparametric) were used to evaluate the statistical significance of the results. Results: No positive correlation between the IgG index and the number of OCB was found. Mann-Whitney test also did not demonstrate any significant difference of the IgG index values in patients both with the OCB number ≥ 2 and < 2. Conclusion: This study did not confirm the correlation between the IgG index values and the OCB number in the CSF of MS patients.