Abstract
Thirty-two patients with a peripheral neuropathy and paraproteinemia were tested for IgM antibodies against myelin-associated protein (MAG) and sulfatide by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Nine patients (28%) had increased anti-sulfatide IgM antibodies and showed a chronic, slowly progressive, distally pronounced, and symmetric polyneuropathy with sensory to sensory-motor impairment, ataxia, hyporeflexia, and axonal involvement in electrophysiological studies. Ten patients (31%) with increased anti-MAG antibodies had a similar, homogeneous polyneuropathy syndrome but presented with demyelinating features. A weak crossreactivity between anti-MAG and anti-sulfatide antibodies was present in only three patients. In conclusion, although the two neuropathy groups clearly differed in their electrophysiological features, their clinical presentation was rather similar.
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Received: 19 July 1999 / Received in revised form: 23 December 1999 / Accepted: 2 May 2000
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Erb, S., Ferracin, F., Fuhr, P. et al. Polyneuropathy attributes: a comparison between patients with anti-MAG and anti-sulfatide antibodies. J Neurol 247, 767–772 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004150070090
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004150070090