[Determination of CSF guanase activity in multiple sclerosis: a comparative study on various parameters to monitor...

Forty two patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were subjected to determination of CSF guanase activity, CSF IgG concentration, Tibbling's IgG index and Kurtzke's expanded disability status scale (EDSS) together with multimodal evoked potentials (MEPs), which consisted of somatosensory evoked potentials to arm and leg stimulation, visual evoked potential and auditory brainstem response. All patients were divided into active (n = 28) and inactive (n = 14) group, where an "active" was defined as a case revealing a relapse within one month prior to the study. The results were as follows: 1. CSF guanase activity was significantly high in active MS as compared with inactive MS (p less than 0.001), and the same trend was found in CSF IgG concentration (p less than 0.01), but not in IgG index. 2. Abnormal MEP was closely associated with elevated CSF guanase activity in active MS (p less than 0.05), but not in inactive MS. 3. In regard to the disease activity, EDSS was significantly high in active MS as compared with inactive MS (p less than 0.01), and EDSS was also significantly high in abnormal MEP group (p less than 0.001). 4. EDSS was closely correlated with CSF guanase activity in active MS (p less than 0.005), but not in inactive MS. 5. Judging from serial determinations of the parameters in 6 patients, CSF guanase activity, less susceptive to steroid hormone therapy than CSF immunoglobulin level, was found parallel to EDSS, however, both CSF IgG concentration and IgG index failed to correlated with EDSS. In summary, CSF guanase activity was thought to be a sensitive parameter in multiple sclerosis, reflecting not only the disease activity but also spatial involvement in the CNS.