A study of increased levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis andsystemic lupus erythematosus

The concentration of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecules (sVCAM-1) of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was measured in clinically selected mul tiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, using an ELISA assay. The mean sVCAM-1 concentration in the serum of SLE patient s was higher than normal. The mean CSF sVCAM-1 concentration was increased in the MS as in the SLE group. On analysis, the data suggests that there ar e some similarities in the immunological effects of these two different dis eases of the central nervous system. A longitudinal analysis of the CSF is requested.