LP and bands

Do the bands that they are looking for when they do the LP only show up when the disease is active or are they always there?

[cwowarii]

That's a good question.  My LP had only one band.  I had clinical symptoms but my MRIs stated that the disease was not active.  I look forward to hearing from others on this.

[Wobbly]

another question,  I have two small bands in my blood test, is this the same as the LP?  Or does it mean something different?

[Heather3418]

When I had my LP that showed banding, I was not in a current flair-up.  Try to remember that MS is ALWAYS active, whether we are having symptoms or not.  The banding as you may know, is caused from the inflammation.  When in the cerebral spinal fluid, it signals something amiss in the brain and spinal cord.

Heather

[shoshin]

This website (http://www.ii.bham.ac.uk/clinicalimmunology/Neuroimmunology/IEF.htm) says, "Once an oligoclonal  response is established, it can be maintained for the natural life of the patient (except in cases of some CNS infections)." I don't know if this link (http://books.google.com/books?id=kP-a4BcH-O4C&pg=RA6-PA3509&lpg=RA6-PA3509&dq=oligoclonal+bands+disappear&source=web&ots=52jBI6Pnw4&sig=3dFJm5MO5bBM-GG-q2ApARbzk1g)  will work, but according to Walsh and Hoyt's Neuro-ophthalmology, the o-bands in MS "tend to persist even when the patient is in clinical remission." It sounds to me like they don't usually go away once you have them.

Apparently I have 13, which I'm hoping doesn't turn out to be my unlucky number :-)

[Heather3418]

What a great link...thank you SO much for clearing that up for all of us.

Big (((hugs)))

Thank you again...Heather