Circulating immune complexes in multiple sclerosis. Relation to clinical and biological parameters.

Circulating immune complexes were looked for on 38 clinically definite MS (multiple sclerosis) patients compared to 35 other neurological patients and 26 healthy subjects. 29% of the MS sera and 8.6% of the other neurological sera were positive, whereas none of the control sera were positive. These differences are significant. Clinical status was analysed as regards the age at onset, the duration and course of the disease, the disability of the patients and the treatment they received. CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) parameters studied were pleocytosis, concentration of total protein, electrophoresis. The results suggest that IC (immune complex) are more frequent during the first 10 years of the MS disease, in patients with blood-brain barrier damage and in patients without oligoclonal IgG.