Fibrinogen is not elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Abstract Background Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels are a well known finding in acute infectious diseases, acute stroke and myocardial infarction. However its role in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of acute and chronic central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) diseases is unclear. Findings We analyzed CSF and plasma fibrinogen levels together with routine parameters in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), acute inflammatory diseases of the CNS (bacterial and viral meningoencephalitis, BM and VM) and PNS (Guillain-Barré syndrome; GBS), as well as in non-inflammatory neurological controls (OND) in a total of 103 patients. Additionally, MS patients underwent cerebral MRI scans at time of lumbar puncture. CSF and plasma fibrinogen levels were significantly lower in patients with MS and OND patients as compared to patients with BM, VM and GBS. There was a close correlation between fibrinogen levels and albumin quotient (rho = 0.769, p Conclusions Although previous work has shown clear evidence of the involvement of fibrinogen in MS pathogenesis, this is not accompanied by increased fibrinogen in the CSF compartment.

Keywords

• blood-CSF barrier (BCSFB)
• cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
• central nervous system (CNS)
• fibrinogen
• neuroinflammation