Markedly elevated GAD antibodies in SPS: effects of age and illness duration

Neurology. 2004 Dec 14;63(11):2146-8. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000145661.01675.a8.

Abstract

Five hundred seventy-six patients with suspected stiff-person syndrome (SPS) underwent immunocytochemistry (ICC). Of these, 286 underwent radioimmunoassay (RIA) for glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies; 116 were GAD antibody positive by one or both tests. Ninety-six percent of those positive by ICC had RIA values several standard deviations above normal. RIA did not correlate with age or illness duration. Marked elevations of RIA for GAD antibodies were characteristic of ICC-confirmed SPS, and modest elevations were not.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Autoantibodies / immunology
  • Autoantigens / immunology*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / blood
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cohort Studies
  • Glutamate Decarboxylase / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • ROC Curve
  • Radioimmunoassay*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Stiff-Person Syndrome / blood
  • Stiff-Person Syndrome / immunology*
  • Time Factors
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / biosynthesis
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / physiology

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Autoantigens
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
  • Glutamate Decarboxylase