Effect of treatment on oligoclonal IgG bands and intrathecal IgG synthesis in sequential cerebrospinal fluid and serum from patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Oligoclonal IgG bands were analyzed in matching pairs of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum from 12 subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) patients, using isoelectric focusing and immunofixation. Each patient was given isoprinosine, and four of the 12 patients were given alpha-interferon in addition. Two to 4 serial CSF and serum samples were collected from each SSPE patient during periods ranging from 1 to 16 months. In 3 SSPE patients a small number of new oligoclonal bands were seen in the follow-up CSF samples. In the other 9 SSPE patients there was no change in CSF band patterns between initial and follow-up specimens. Band patterns in serum remained unchanged between initial and follow-up samples. Although all 12 SSPE cases had higher IgG indices and increased rate of intra blood-brain barrier (BBB) IgG synthesis in comparison to patients with other neurological diseases, the values did not significantly differ between the first and follow-up specimens. We conclude that treatment of SSPE patients with isoprinosine or with isoprinosine and alpha-interferon had no significant effect on the CSF oligoclonal band profiles or IgG synthesis within the central nervous system.