BACKGROUND: Chromogranin A (CgA) and other peptides from the chromogranin-secretogranin family have been recently studied as potential biomarkers of various neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: We measured CgA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 119 PD patients, 18 multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients, and 31 age-matched controls. We also correlated the values with disease duration and levodopa dose equivalent. RESULTS: In the PD patients, CSF CgA tended to be lower than the control group (median 124.5 vs. 185.2 µg/L; p = 0.057); however, the results did not reach statistical significance. CSF CgA levels in MSA were significantly lower compared to the control group (median 104.4 vs. 185.2; p = 0.014). There was no significant difference in CSF CgA between PD and MSA patients (p = 0.372). There was no association between CSF CgA and disease duration or levodopa dose equivalent in PD or in MSA. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a tendency toward lower CSF CgA levels in both PD and MSA compared to the control group; however, the difference reached statistical significance only in MSA. Based on these results, CgA may have potential as a biomarker in PD and MSA, but further studies on larger numbers of patients are needed to draw conclusions.

Department of Neurology Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc 1 P Pavlova 6 77900 Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Neurology University Hospital Olomouc 1 P Pavlova 6 77900 Olomouc Czech Republic

Institute of Biomedical Sciences Faculty of Medicine Ostrava University 70103 Ostrava Czech Republic

Institute of Laboratory Diagnostics University Hospital Ostrava 70103 Ostrava Czech Republic

Neurology Outpatient Clinic St Moritz 77900 Olomouc Czech Republic

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