Steroids and OCB

[barbari]

My mother has ALS and after her spinal test the Oligoclonal Band was detected.
The doctor suggested steroids to treat it.
Does the detection of the OCB band mean that she's getting worse?
How much would steroids help with her condition? I thought the OCB band is related to MS only.
Thank you

[MsmsinFl]

Actually 5 days of IV steroids is a common regimen in MS -- sometimes only 3 days, but I had 5 days.

[barbari]

Thank you to all who took the time to respond to my question.
Now I'm being told they're not sure about the ALS diagnosis and it might be ALS Syndrome.
They want to do the steroids treatment 5 days in a row, which seems a lot.

[Quixotic1]

Barbari, I am so sorry about your mom's diagnosis of ALS.  That is an very hard thing for all concerned.

The use of steroids does often calm down the production of the proteins contains in oligoclonal bands.  That is why in trying to diagnose MS they recommend doing the LP BEFORE high dose steroids are given.

I know nothing about O-Bands in ALS, nor if there is a reason for wanting to use steroids in ALS - but I do not follow the field.

I wish you all the luck and good thoughts from me and our forum.

Quix

[sllowe]

Hi there,

I too am so sorry to hear about your Mom. You can count on support from us.

In the simplest terms Babari, O-bands can be found in the CSF of other disorders. With the doctor ordering the steroids sounds to me the intent is to reduce inflammation and I sure do hope it helps. I'm sorry I cannot speak to her condition getting worse, but I sure hope not for you and for her.

Please know you are in my thoughts and hope to be supportive of you needs.
-Shell

[barbari]

Thank you to all who responded.
At this point it seems she's going through with steroids so we just have to wait and see if there is any improvement.
I read somewhere that long-term steroids is not good for ALS sufferers because of its effect on muscle strength.
My mother was diagnosed last summer (around June 2010 after having thyroid surgery) but her symptoms started in 2009.

[Ojibajo]

I don't have any answers for you but I just wanted to say that I am sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis and you are in my prayers.

[Lulu54]

Hi and welcome.  so sorry your mom has been dx'd with ALS.  That is tough not only on her but all of the family.  May I ask when she was diagnosed?  

My brain is mush tonight and I would like to answer some of the o-band questions but I want to get it right, so I'm not going to attempt it right now.  

I did a quick google and here's a good page from a book on this question - sorry the link is so long to copy but it points out that o-bands are found in ALS.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Mbb5WZxY75wC&pg=PA128&lpg=PA128&dq=als+and+oligoclonal&source=bl&ots=owZLRCBS-t&sig=9ARDxbEg89WKeEkO7-Ic-H0XUQk&hl=en&ei=1HVkTb-qGcT38Aar_b3EBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=als%20and%20oligoclonal&f=false


From an earlier MH post -
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Neurology/IgG-Index-and-Oligoclonal-bands-Indicating-MS-Only/show/293836

"The oligoclonal band detection means that you have selected production of antibodies in your CSF/brain.  It does not mean that you have MS, only that your brain (the immune cells that have migrated to your brain) are producing antibodies.  This can happen in many disease states, from infection to autoimmune diseases."


good luck with sorting this out with your mom - and be sure to talk to the doctors about this question.  

best, Lulu

[jensequitur]

Oligoclonal bands are essentially (this was how it was explained to me!) as the number of times a virus has crossed the blood brain barrier.  They take a blood draw, and take a sample of spinal fluid, and through a special test they're able to draw out these bands.  (Each band is a different set of antibodies for a specific virus.)

The blood-brain barrier is the tentorium that your brain sits in.  It's basically a skin bag - similar to the stretchy transparent bits you get when you cut up a whole chicken.  Blood isn't supposed to pass through the barrier, but for some reason, MS disease activity makes holes in the barrier, so other things can pass through.

So yes, if the blood-brain barrier has been breached, then it's a sign that something else might be going on.  What it is, I have no idea - but it sounds like you need to talk to the doctor about it.