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A study of oligoclonal band negative multiple sclerosis
A Z Zeman1, D Kidd, B N McLean
1Institute of Neurology, University of London, UK.
Objectives:
To determine whether oligoclonal band (OCB) negative multiple sclerosis is a reliable diagnosis and, if so, whether it has a distinctive prognosis.
Methods:
Retrospective and matched prospective comparison of the clinical and laboratory features of patients with clinical definite multiple sclerosis with and without intrathecal synthesis of oligoclonal IgG.
Results:
Thirty four patients were identified with apparent OCB negative clinically definite multiple sclerosis. The results of oligoclonal banding proved to have been equivocal in 14 of 34; the clinical diagnosis of multiple sclerosis was questionable in 8 of 34. The remaining 12 patients with "true" OCB negative multiple sclerosis were significantly less disabled than matched OCB positive controls. Re-examination of CSF-serum pairs from six OCB negative patients showed that three remained OCB negative while three showed evidence of intrathecal synthesis of OCBs.
Conclusions:
OCB negative clinically definite multiple sclerosis is rare and should be diagnosed with caution; in unequivocal cases it seems to have a relatively benign prognosis.