Clinical Information

Elevation of IgG in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as multiple sclerosis (MS), neurosyphilis, acute inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis may be  due to local (intrathecal) synthesis of IgG. Elevations of CSF IgG or the CSF/serum IgG ratio may also occur as a result of permeability of the blood brain barrier, and hence, a correction using albumin measurements in CSF and serum is appropriate.

The CSF index is the CSF IgG to CSF albumin ratio compared to the serum IgG to serum albumin ratio. The CSF index is, therefore, an indicator of the relative amount of CSF IgG compared to serum. Any increase in the index is a reflection of IgG production in the CNS. The IgG synthesis rate is a mathematical manipulation of the CSF index data and can also be used as a marker for CNS inflammatory diseases. The test is commonly ordered with oligoclonal banding or immunoglobulin kappa free light chains in CSF to aid in the diagnosis of demyelinating conditions.