Clinical relevance of the determination of anti-GQ1b antibodies in Miller Fisher and Guillain-Barre syndromes

Anti-GQ1b antibodies were assayed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in sera from patients with non-neurological disorders (N = 20), and with various neurological disorders (N = 59), including nine cases of Miller Fisher syndrome, 16 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome and one case of acute post-infectious ophthalmoparesis. Such antibodies were found in most cases (8 out of 9) of Miller Fisher syndrome and at very high titres, in one case of Guillain-Barre syndrome characterised by air initial ophthalmoparesis, and in the case of isolated post-infectious ophthalmoparesis. The latter was characterised by a long-lasting occurrence of these antibodies. Anti-GQ1b antibodies are specific for an immune-mediated neuropathy of the cranial, especially oculomotor, nerves.