THE CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE OF HIGH ANTI-GM 1 ANTIBODIES IN ACUTE GUILLAIN-BARRE-SYNDROME

Anti-GM1 IgG and IgM antibodies were measured in the serum of 20 patie nts with acute Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) and compared with anti-GM 1 antibody activity in patients with herpes tester, meningoradiculitis Bannwarth, different chronic polyneuropathies and in healthy voluntee rs. We found high IgG anti-GM1 antibodies (titre > 1:6400) only in 3 G BS patients (15%). AU three patients had preceeding diarrhoea and sero logical evidence of Campylobacter jejuni enteritis. At the maximum of the illness they were tetraplegic or tetraparetic with no sensory defi cits. Half a year later one had a good recovery, one was wheel-chair b ound and one remained bedridden. Electrophysiological examination reve aled evidence of demyelination early in the disease. Later secondary a xonal damage was found. IgG anti-GM1 antibodies may define a subgroup of GBS patients with severe motor neuropathy that is frequently associ ated with preceeding C. jejuni enteritis.