Antibody panels in idiopathic polyneuropathy and motor neuron disease

We prospectively evaluated patients with idiopathic polyneuropathy (PN) and motor neuron disease (MND) with commercial antibody (Ab) panels. Patients with sensorimotor PN received a 'sensorimotor neuropathy profile' [3-sulfated glucuronyl paragloboside (SGPG)/myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), GM1, asialo-GM1, GD1b, Hu, sulfatide]. Motor neuropathy or MND patients underwent a 'motor neuropathy profile' (SGPG/MAG, GM1, asialo-GM1). Seven of 78 patients (9.0%) with sensorimotor PN and 3 of 44 patients (6.8%) with MND had abnormal panels. None of 60 patients with axonal sensory or sensorimotor PN had antisulfatide Ab. Seven of 13 patients (54%) with multifocal motor neuropathy had abnormal panels, with 6 seropositive to GM1. We found abnormal Ab panels in fewer than 10% of patients with idiopathic sensorimotor PN and MND. Moreover, abnormal Ab tests often did not relate to the clinical context. Our data do not support the use of commercial Ab panels in the evaluation of patients with idiopathic PN or MND.