STUDIES ON INTERMEDIATE CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Abstract

Blood pyruvate, blood a-ketoglutarate and plasma citrate levels were determined in patients with multiple sclerosis. When compared with 20 controls a significant increase in pyruvate was seen in 41 patients 90 min. following the ingestion of glucose and 17 of the patients who were tested had significantly raised a-ketoglutarate levels and relatively low fasting citrate levels. No correlation was found between the biochemical findings and the activity of the disease. The degree of correlation may have been masked by stages of spasticity and malnutrition, yet it is unlikely that abnormal metabolism is related to multiple sclerosis.