CIDP antiMAG IgM (aka PDN) research

    • Anonymous
      November 21, 2010 at 8:22 pm

      I was just digging around some newer research articles for Norb and
      treatment of people with CIDP antiMAG IgM (sometimes called PDN). Two, in particular, were really interesting.

      The first is from a Leukaemia Research website http://www.lrjournal.com/article/S0145-2126(06)00337-7/abstract…

      …What researchers discovered was an individual who had a certain kind of blood cancer (HCL) also had antiMAG IgM (PDN). When they treated this patient’s cancer with cladribrine, the cancer went into remission. [B]The antiMAG IgM also disappeared and the patient showed clinical and electrophysiological improvement in his/her neuropathy. [/B]

      Another article from the European Journal of Neurology (2006 & 2010) at this website: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-1331.2006.01467.x/full…

      …recommends that [B]patients with[/B] PDN (also know as [B]CIDP antiMAG IgM[/B]) [B]should be investigated for a malignant plasma cell dyscrasia.[/B] In other words, people diagnosed with this flavor of CIDP should be evaluated for plasma (blood related) cell cancers.

    • Anonymous
      November 22, 2010 at 12:16 am

      Thanks Carol. I have book marked the articles.
      Laurel

    • Anonymous
      November 22, 2010 at 1:42 pm

      You are welcome, Laurel. Hope it helps.
      -Carol

    • Anonymous
      November 27, 2010 at 9:18 pm

      What I do not understand about all this here,
      is how do you know you have anti-MAG, if never had been tested fot it.
      …here in this forum, I ask ….
      how many o you where blood tested for anti-MAG??

    • Anonymous
      November 28, 2010 at 2:06 pm

      Your doctor would have to order the antiMAG test. If I recall correctly, it is very expensive. A lot of hospitals and clinics do not like for doctors to order it because they take a financial hit. The tests rarely get reimbursed fully by insurance.

      I guess some doctors think they do not need to know if a patient has antiMAG, but it looks like it might be helpful to know. This and other research suggests it makes a difference regarding treatment & treatment outcomes.

      It would be interesting to find out how many CIDP patients have had the test.

    • Anonymous
      November 28, 2010 at 9:14 pm

      Hello Carol,

      My neurologist tested me for anti-MAG antibodies right away. He wanted to make sure there was not an IgM issue.

      MarkEns

    • Anonymous
      November 29, 2010 at 2:05 pm

      Yes, I was tested several times. It seems to me it is part of a standard test even for the average neurologist. After some brief research I found this

      “Abstract

      BACKGROUND: Detection of serum antibodies to myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) by Western blot (WB) is a valuable assay to diagnose a distinct type of demyelinating polyneuropathy with immunoglobulin M (IgM) monoclonal gammopathy. In this study, the diagnostic accuracy of a new and more practical ELISA to detect these antibodies was validated.”

      So, you may see the test listed as ‘MAG’, ‘anti-MAG’, ‘Western Blot’, Elissa, or simply as Ig. At Mayo they listed it under Immunology AG, Immunology III. But, I have seen all these descriptions in my various lab reports.

    • Anonymous
      December 2, 2010 at 9:43 pm

      I had the anti-MAG test as a final confirmation in my diagnosis of IgM MGUS. Prior to this, electrophoresis tests showed elevated IgM, but the anti-MAG test was needed to be sure before prescribing treatment with Rituxan (small possibility of dangerous side effects). The test was performed at the University of Washington in Missouri. Cost was about $800.

      Thank you Carol for your posting about blood cancers. It is known that there is a 1% annual transfer rate from MGUS to multiple myeloma or Waldenstroms macroglobulenemia (spelling?). Scary already and more to worry about. Best to enjoy life now to its fullest. Who knows about tomorrow?

      Andrew

    • Anonymous
      December 3, 2010 at 2:45 pm

      [QUOTE=yuehan]So, you may see the test listed as ‘MAG’, ‘anti-MAG’, ‘Western Blot’, Elissa, or simply as Ig. At Mayo they listed it under Immunology AG, Immunology III. But, I have seen all these descriptions in my various lab reports.[/QUOTE]
      Western Blot and Elisa are are simply screening tests (methods) that can be used with a variety of antibodies, for example against HIV, or a protein indicating pregnancy. [url]http://www.medicinenet.com/elisa_tests/article.htm[/url]

    • Lori222
      December 3, 2010 at 10:40 pm

      is an elevated igg or igm reason to test for this anti-mag? lori

    • Anonymous
      December 4, 2010 at 1:11 am

      [QUOTE=Lori222]is an elevated igg or igm reason to test for this anti-mag? lori[/QUOTE]
      I don’t think so. AntiMAG neuropathy has to be suspected based on the result of a spinal tap, on various degrees of ataxia as well as on sensory loss and some muscle weakness in the extremities which tend to be symmetric and have been slowly developing over years. It also tends to occur in older people.

    • Lori222
      December 4, 2010 at 7:28 am

      Thanks–just never had heard a lot about this and was curious. : ) Lori

    • Anonymous
      June 5, 2011 at 2:21 pm

      Any change in diagnosis or treatment for this condition?