Cerebrospinal fluid β2-microglobulin in neurological disorders

Abstract

.beta.-2-microglobulin was measured in specimens of CSF collected from 167 patients classified in 14 diagnostic categories. In the control group of 29 subjects without any obvious disease of the CNS, the concentration of .beta.-2-microglobulin was 1.15 .+-. 0.37 mg/l (M [mean] .+-. SD). The concentration was almost significantly elevated in the groups with fresh brain infarct, CNS infection and polyneuropathy. The serum concentrations of .beta.-2-microglobulin did not differ significantly among these diagnostic categories. The mean ratio between CSF and serum .beta.-2-microglobulin was 0.79 .+-. 0.32 in the control group and more than 1.0 in the patients with brain infarcts, CNS infections and spinal paresis, but the differences were not statistically significant.