The Diagnostic Utility of Oligoclonal Bands in Multiple Sclerosis: A Time-Course Analysis

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Oligoclonal bands (OCBs) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are a hallmark of MS and reflect intrathecal IgG synthesis and inflammation. This study aims to analyze the temporal distribution of IgG OCBs in the CSF of patients with a definitive diagnosis of MS. Methods: This retrospective study included 500 patients with diagnosed MS. Patients were divided into four groups according to diagnostic epochs: Group 1 (Pre-2001 or Pre-McDonald), Group 2 (2001-2010 or McDonald 2001-Polman 2010), Group 3 (2010-2018 or Polman 2010), and Group 4 (Post-2018 or Thompson 2017). Statistical analyses examined temporal and sex differences in OCB positivity rates. Results: OCB positivity was lower in Group 4 (69.2%) compared to Group 1 (85.4%) in the overall population (p = 0.0022). A decrease in OCB positivity was observed in Groups 3 (62.5%) and 4 (71.8%) compared to Group 1 (92.5%) among males (p = 0.0117 and p = 0.0198, respectively) and in Group 4 (68.1%) compared to Group 1 (82.5%) among females (p = 0.0274). Conclusions: The present study provides valuable insights into temporal trends in CSF positivity among patients diagnosed with MS. There was an overall decrease in OCB positivity rates over the years, particularly in the post-2018 period.