Absence of paraneoplastic antineuronal antibodies in sera of 145 patients with motor neuron disease.

BACKGROUND

Well characterised antineuronal antibodies (ANAbs) have been shown to be highly specific markers of neurological syndromes with a paraneoplastic aetiology. Previous reports indicate that pure motor neuron disease (MND) is rarely of paraneoplastic origin.

OBJECTIVE

To screen systematically for the prevalence of well characterised paraneoplastic ANAbs in a large collective of patients with pure MND.

METHODS

In a cohort of 145 patients with MND, the frequency of ANAbs was estimated by ELISA, employing recombinant antigens (HuD, Yo, Ri, CV2/CRMP5, Ma2 and amphiphysin).

RESULTS

None of the sera revealed high antineuronal antigen reactivity. Very low reactivity was detected in only five sera, in all probability representing background activity.

CONCLUSION

According to these data, routine analysis for ANAbs in patients with isolated MND is not mandatory.