Epstein-Barr virus-specific intrathecal oligoclonal IgG production in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis is limited to a subset of patients and is composed of low-affinity antibodies

Table 1 Demographic, clinical, radiological and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) characteristics in 100 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)

Sex: F/M	70/30
Age, years: mean ± SD	37.3 ± 10.6
Disease duration, months: mean ± SD	30.5 ± 46.6
Disease severity, EDSS: mean ± SD	2.0 ± 1.3
CA MS: n/total (%)	77/100 (77%)
CS MS: n/total (%)	23/100 (23%)
Gd+ MS: n/total (%)	37/100 (37%)
Gd- MS: n/total (%)	63/100 (63%)
Blood-CSF-barrier dysfunction, QAlb: positive/total (%)	18/100 (18%)
Intrathecal IgG synthesis, IgG Index: positive/total (%)	71/100 (71%)
CSF-restricted oligoclonal IgG bands: positive/total (%)	84/100 (84%)

CA, clinically active (presence of relapse at entry); CS, clinically stable (absence of relapse at entry); EDSS, expanded disability status scale; Gd+, appearance of gadolium enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Gd-, no evidence of gadolium enhancing on MRI; QAlb, CSF/serum albumin quotient.

ISSN: 1742-2094