CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID THROMBOMODULIN AND SVCAM-1 IN DIFFERENT CLINICAL STAGES OF MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS PATIENTS

In order to investigate whether brain endothelial cells activation and /or damage could be selectively monitorized, soluble vascular cell adh esion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1) and thrombomodulin (TM) levels were studied in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 39 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in various phases of the disease, 19 patients with other non- inflammatory neurological diseases (OND) and 15 patients with inflamma tory neurological diseases (LND). No differences in sVCAM-1 CSF levels were detected, except for lower levels in IND compared to OND. Serum TM levels were lower in IND compared to progressive MS patients. Moreo ver, a significant decrease both in VCAM index and in TM index was det ected in IND compared to all other groups. TM index was higher in MS p atients in progression as compared to OND. The combined analysis of sV CAM-1 and TM might be a useful tool in monitoring brain endothelium ac tivation or damage in different phases of MS. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.