3 research outputs found
Motor unit number estimation by MScanFit in myotonic dystrophies
MScanFit is a new motor unit number estimation (MUNE) technique applied in motor neuron diseases and polyneuropathies to assess clinical progression and underlying disease pathology. So far, its value in myopathies, especially myotonic dystrophies (MD), has not been investigated
The gut microbiome in intravenous immunoglobulinātreated chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
AbstractBackground and purpose: The gut microbiome is involved in autoimmunity. Data on its composition in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), the most common chronic autoimmune disorder of peripheral nerves, are currently lacking.Methods: In this monocentric exploratory pilot study, stool samples were prospectively collected from 16 CIDP patients (mean age 58 Ā± 10 years, 25% female) before and 1 week after administration of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Gut microbiota were analyzed via bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing and compared to 15 age-matched healthy subjects (mean age 59 Ā± 15 years, 66% female).Results: The gut microbiota of CIDP patients showed an increased alpha-diversity (p = 0.005) and enrichment of Firmicutes, such as Blautia (p = 0.0004), Eubacterium hallii (p = 0.0004), or Ruminococcus torques (p = 0.03), and of Actinobacteriota (p = 0.03) compared to healthy subjects. IVIg administration did not alter the gut microbiome composition in CIDP in this short-term observation (p = 0.95).Conclusions: The gut microbiome in IVIg-treated CIDP shows distinct features, with increased bacterial diversity and enrichment of short-chain fatty acid producing Firmicutes. IVIg had no short-term impact on the gut microbiome in CIDP patients. As the main limitation of this exploratory pilot study was small cohort size, future studies also including therapy-naĆÆve patients are warranted to verify our findings and to explore the impact of long-term IVIg treatment on the gut microbiome in CIDP.Keywords: autoimmunity; firmicutes; immune neuropathies; intestinal barrier; short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)
Antibody response after COVIDā19 vaccination in intravenous immunoglobulinātreated immune neuropathies
BACKGROUND: This study assessed the prevalence of antiāSARSāCoVā2 antibodies in therapeutic immunoglobulin and their impact on serological response to COVIDā19 mRNA vaccine in patients with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg)ātreated chronic immune neuropathies. METHODS: Fortyāsix samples of different brands or lots of IVIg or subcutaneous IgG (SCIg) were analyzed for antiāSARSāCoVā2 IgG using ELISA and chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). Blood sera from 16 patients with immune neuropathies were prospectively analyzed for antiāSARSāCoVā2 IgA, IgG, and IgM before and one week after IVIg infusion subsequent to consecutive COVIDā19 mRNA vaccine doses and after 12āweeks. These were compared to 42 healthy subjects. RESULTS: Twentyāfour (52%) therapeutic immunoglobulin samples contained antiāSARSāCoVā2 IgG. All patients with immune neuropathies (mean age 65 Ā±ā16āyears, 25 % female) were positive for antiāSARSāCoVā2 IgG after COVIDā19 vaccination. AntiāSARSāCoVā2 IgA titers significantly decreased 12ā14āweeks after vaccination (p=0.02), IgG titers remained stable (p=0.2). IVIg did not significantly reduce intraāindividual antiāSARSāCoVā2 IgA/IgG serum titers in immune neuropathies (p=0.69). IVIgāderived antiāSARSāCoVā2 IgG did not alter serum antiāSARSāCoVā2 IgG decrease after IVIg administration (p=0.67). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that IVIg does not impair the antibody response to COVIDā19 mRNA vaccine in a shortāterm observation, when administered a minimum of two weeks after each vaccine dose. The infusion of current IVIg preparations that contain antiāSARSāCoVā2 IgG does not significantly alter serum antiāSARSāCoVā2 IgG titers