MAG Antibodies Demyelinating disorders Test

Anti-MG Peripheral Neuropathy is a very uncommon disease, which compose around 5% disorders like CIDP. Anti-MAG occurs when the body's own immune system develops antibodies against an important glycoprotein. MAG is necessary to maintain a healthy peripheral nervous system. The disorder is primarily the symptoms of external sensory harm in external hands, legs or feet’s is like a tingling sensation in the affected organs, lightly medium distracting, and poor balance which can cause difficulty in walking. As the disease progresses, it also increases the weakness of some muscles. Ninety percent of patients are men, and most of them are in the 50's or 60's. Contrary to Anti-MAG, CIDP (Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy) treatments are usually effective in these patients, as it is not an inflammatory disease. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the peripheral nervous system, which is clinically characterized by hyporeflexia or areflexia, and progressive or relapsing motor or sensory dysfunction developing over weeks.

Detection of anti-MAG neuropathy starts with identifying the symptoms of the patient: Sensory loss starting in toes in fingers Loss of vibration senses Unsteady gait Tremors in hands and legs Diagnosis starts with a neurological examination. If the tests shows that the patient has a peripheral neuropathy, then the test is done for the IgM monoclonal gammopathy and electrodiagnostic test. . If the blood work and/or the EMG are completely abnormal then blood testing is done. Some patients will have an elevated protein in the brain-spinal fluid, which can be obtained through the spinal tap.

At present, immune therapies are associated with considerable side effects which limit their prolonged use and efficacy. It should be reserved for patients impaired in their daily activities or those who are in progressive phase of the disease.

Several therapeutic treatments are done for the treatment of anti-MAG neuropathy. Most of these treatments reduce the levels of anti-MAG antibodies. Rituximab: It is one of the most promising treatment alternatives, it is itself an antibody that binds to B- cells and removes them from the blood, cutting off the production of anti-MAG antibodies at the source. Cyclophosphamide: Cyclophosphamide is a drug used in the treatment of lymphomas. It works by killing rapidly dividing cells such as antibody-producing B-cells, which in turn decreases antibody levels. Sometimes this test can lead to cancer Intravenous Immunoglobulin: IVIg infusions help only few patients in the initial phase of the disease and are not very effective in treating anti-MAG neuropathies.