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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year : 2003  |  Volume : 51  |  Issue : 4  |  Page : 487--489

Intravenous immunoglobulin reduces serum tumor necrosis factor a in patients with Guillain-Barre Syndrome

S Reuben1, MG Sumi1, A Mathai1, MD Nair2, VV Radhakrishnan1 
1 Departments of Pathology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram - 695011, India
2 Departments of Neurology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram - 695011, India

Correspondence Address:
V V Radhakrishnan
Department of Pathology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram - 695011
India

Background: Tumor necrosis factor a TNF-alpha has a possible role in the pathogenesis of the Guillain-Barre� syndrome (GBS). Aims: To study the effect of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) on serum TNF-alpha concentrations in patients with GBS. Material and Methods: The effect of IVIg on TNF-alpha was evaluated in 36 patients with GBS. Serum TNF-alpha concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sera of 22 (61%) patients with GBS showed elevated concentrations of TNF-alpha (35�182 pg/ml) and these sera were individually incubated in vitro with IVIg (0.25mg/ml) at 37�C for 24 hours. Results: The serum TNF-alpha concentrations in the 22 GBS patients with elevated levels showed a steady decline (60.34�19.78 pg/ml) following incubation with IVIg. These 22 patients also received IVIg therapy, and serum TNF-alpha concentrations showed a significant decline (65.5�9.75 pg/ml) at the end of the therapy. At the time of discharge from the hospital, there was a positive correlation between neurological recovery and decline in TNF-alpha concentrations in these 22 GBS patients. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that elevated levels of TNF-alpha occur in a proportion of patients with GBS and in these patients elevated serum TNF-alpha levels decline with IVIg therapy.


How to cite this article:
Reuben S, Sumi M G, Mathai A, Nair M D, Radhakrishnan V V. Intravenous immunoglobulin reduces serum tumor necrosis factor a in patients with Guillain-Barre Syndrome.Neurol India 2003;51:487-489


How to cite this URL:
Reuben S, Sumi M G, Mathai A, Nair M D, Radhakrishnan V V. Intravenous immunoglobulin reduces serum tumor necrosis factor a in patients with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Neurol India [serial online] 2003 [cited 2023 Oct 2 ];51:487-489
Available from: https://www.neurologyindia.com/article.asp?issn=0028-3886;year=2003;volume=51;issue=4;spage=487;epage=489;aulast=Reuben;type=0