Sensitivity and specificity of a commercial ELISA test for anti-MAG antibodies in patients with neuropathy

J Neuroimmunol. 2020 Aug 15:345:577288. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2020.577288. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Abstract

For the diagnosis of anti-MAG polyneuropathy the commercial ELISA manufacturer currently recommends a cut-off of 1000 Bühlmann Titer Units (BTU). We analyzed sera from 80 anti-MAG neuropathy patients and 383 controls (with other neuropathies or healthy controls) to assess the ELISA sensitivity and specificity at different thresholds. A better combination of sensitivity/specificity was found at a threshold >1500 BTU than at >1000 BTU. The best value of specificity was obtained at threshold >7000 BTU. There was a diagnostic grey area between 1500 and 7000 BTU in which the clinical phenotypes as well as electrophysiological studies need to be carefully assessed particularly to differentiate CIDP and anti-MAG neuropathy.

Keywords: Anti-MAG polyneuropathy, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy; ELISA; Sensitivity; Specificity.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / standards
  • Humans
  • Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / blood*
  • Polyneuropathies / blood*
  • Polyneuropathies / diagnosis
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein