IS IGG ANTI-GT1A ANTIBODY ASSOCIATED WITH PHARYNGEAL-CERVICAL-BRACHIAL WEAKNESS OR OROPHARYNGEAL PALSY IN GUILLAIN-BARRE-SYNDROME

The pharyngeal-cervical-brachial variant (PCB) of Guillain-Barre syndr ome (GBS) has clinical features similar to those of botulism and dipht heria. Mizoguchi et al. (1994) [Mizoguchi, K., Hase, A., Obi, T., Mats uoka, PI., Takatsu, M., Nishimura, Y., Irie, F., Seyama, Y., Hirabayas hi, Y., 1994. Two species of antiganglioside antibodies in a patient w ith a pharyngeal-cervical-brachial variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 57, 1121-1123] reported a patient wi th PCB-like symptoms who had serum IgG anti-GT1a antibodies which did not cross-react with GQ1b. We assumed that PCB is associated with anti -GT1a antibodies that do not have reactivity to GQ1b and made a serolo gical study of a PCB patient. We searched for PCB patients prospective ly and found one with PCB. This patient had IgG anti-GT1a antibodies w hich were not absorbed with GQ1b in an absorption study, whereas IgG a nti-GT1a antibodies from Fisher's syndrome patients were. The frequenc y of positive IgG anti-GT1a antibody did not differ in patients with a nd without bulbar palsy. Our findings indicate that IgG anti-GT1a anti bodies which do not cross-react with GQ1b are specifically detectable in PCB and can be used as a diagnostic marker of PCB. (C) 1998 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.