Assessment of Serum Neurofilament Light Chain Protein in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Abstract

Background: .Serum neurofilament light chain (NFL) has been the subject of intensive research as a potential biomarker of treatment  response as well as prognosis among multiple sclerosis cases because it can reflect disease activity in the clinical follow up of these  patients and measured in serum.

Aim: to assess serum NFL in MS cases and its relation with disease severity & magnetic resonance  imaging (MRI) finding in these patients.

Subjects and methods: Fifty MS patients were included in a case-control research conducted at three hospitals in Egypt: Zagazig University Hospital, ALMabara Hospital for Health Insurance in Zagazig, and Mansoura New General  Hospital. Diagnosis of MS was done according to Modified McDonald criteria. Patients were divided into 25 patients with relapsing– remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), 18 patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), 7 patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) & 25 sex and age matched healthy controls.

Results: There is a statistical significance increase serum NFL  among cases than control group and a significance increase of Serum NFL among RRMS than SPMS and PPMS groups.

Conclusion: The  results showed that NFL levels were associated with disease severity as assessed by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) as well as  MRI findings in MS patients.