CSF question, monocytes

I was diagnosed w/MS after positive MRI lesions & positive CSF, 4+ O bands & increased IgG synthesis.

The rest of the CSF report was normal, except 100 lymph (normal is 40-80) and zero monocytes (normal 15-45)

I am very curious about the monocytes.  Can anyone explain what they are & if it's normal for there to be none in a MS patient?

Thanks

[sllowe]

Hi Copenoxa,

Welcome to the forum. I'll  not pretend to know the role of the monocyte in CSF. Though I know it does have one of course. But, my 1st thought is that it may be better than not over the normal high. Please know, I'm just guess here.

It's consistency in MS patients I'm not so sure of either. I'm not even sure what mine reads, lol  You may be able to run some searches of instances using that language.

Are you on a DMD? Hope so.

Thanks for joining us! Sorry I don't have more for you in that regard. How are you doing with your MS? Looking forward to hearing more if your comfortable to share.
See you around,
~Shell

[copenoxa]

I just started copaxone a little over a month ago (diagnosed 3/11)  I'm still having symptoms & haven't felt better (getting worse over time; the symptoms started in my legs &are now in my arms) but I'm learning to take better care of myself & manage things :) I'm really impressed with this group & happy to be here.

Thank you for your reply to my question.  I thought a monocye was an immature white cell & would be high if there was infection or inflammation but I'm not sure what low or none would mean.  I also noticed the monocytes were normal on the blood draw but zero in the spinal fluid.  The increase in lymph now has me curious too.  (I'm not obsessing, though, just trying to learn about the disease in more detail.)

[COBOB]

Monocytes are an immune system cell (a type of WBC,) that is mainly found in the spleen and is a "first line" response to infection.  Too many on CSF is an issue.  I would not think too few in CSF would be much of a concern.

It take about 9 months for Copaxone to "modulate" the immune system (if your body will let it.)  The concept is that rather than mounting an "attack" response against myelin, it mounts a "suppression" response to myelin.  It is a similar mechanism that is used in allergy shots.  By a constant exposure to myelin components in to whole of the body, the immune system get "used" to seeing it around.  Very over simplified,  but the analogy still holds.

Bob