Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Original Article

Clinical features of neuropathies in a group of patients associated with anti-GalNAc-GD1a antibody

Muneto Tatsumoto, M.D., Masaaki Odaka, M.D., Ph.D., Michiaki Koga, M.D., Ph.D., Koichi Hirata, M.D., Ph.D. and Nobuhiro Yuki, M.D., Ph.D.

Department of Neurology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine

To clarify the clinical features of patients with anti-GalNAc-GD1a antibody, we retrospectively investigated which conditions were associated with anti-GalNAc-GD1a antibody in a large number of patients. Sixty-four out of 1,713 patients had anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgG antibody. Fifty-seven (89%) were diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) or atypical GBS with preserved deep tendon reflexes. These patients were characterized by young man, antecedent diarrhea, distal-dominant limb weakness, and absence of cranial nerve impairment and sensory disturbance. Some of sera from patients had anti-GM1, anti-GM1b, and anti-GD1a IgG antibodies associated with axonal GBS. Our study suggests that the anti-GalNAc-GD1a antibody testing is useful for supporting the diagnosis of GBS. In addition, fine specificity of the antibody also was clarified.

(CLINICA NEUROL, 44: 508|512, 2004)
key words: anti-GalNAc-GD1a antibody, anti-ganglioside antibody, Guillain-Barré syndrome, Campylobacter jejuni

(Received: 13-Jan-04)