OBJECTIVES: The presented study focuses on the importance of measurement of beta-amyloid42 (Abeta-42) levels, total tau protein, and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of cerebrospinal multiple sclerosis (MS) and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) which represents an early phase of multiple sclerosis. METHODS: A total of 23 patients with clinically isolated syndrome and suspected MS were enrolled into the study. Of this number, 14 patients met the criteria for definitive MS according to McDonald. The control group consisted of 40 patients examined for the possibility of organic damage to the brain, which was not confirmed. We used method of enzyme immunoanalysis to examine concentrations of tau protein, p- tau protein, and beta amyloid42. Differences between the respective groups were examined by test statistics. In addition, dependence of the total tau protein, p-tau protein, and beta-amyloid42 levels on demographic variables, diagnosis and duration of disease was examined by correlation analysis. Correlation of the concentrations obtained in the measurements was evaluated based on the calculated correlation coefficient (r) and level of significance (p). RESULTS: Compared to the control group, no statistically significant difference was found in the levels of tau protein and p-tau protein between the CIS group and definitive MS group. A significant increase was found only for beta-amyloid42 levels in patients with diagnosed MS vs. control group. We demonstrated no correlation between the beta-amyloid42 and tau protein levels, p-tau protein and age of patients and duration of disease in patients with MS, CIS and the control group. CONCLUSION: Results of our study show that use of tau protein, p-tau protein and beta-amyloid42 in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis seems to be non-beneficial. We confirmed no importance for the differential diagnosis of an early stage MS.

Department of Neurology Medical Faculty Charles University and Teaching Hospital in Hradec Králové Czech Republic