Serum alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase levels in patients with neuromyelitis optica and multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Objective To investigate the serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods Serum ALP and GGT levels in patients with NMO and MS from the database of demyelinating diseases in our hospital were analyzed.Eighty-five healthy controls were chosen.The differences of serum ALP and GGT levels in patient groups and controls were compared, and the correlations between clinical features (age of the subjects, course of disease, times of relapse and scores of EDSS) and both ALP and GGT levels were analyzed. Results The serum ALP and GGT levels in patients with NMO were significantly higher than those in patients with MS and the controls (P<0.05).Patients with NMO still had significantly higher serum ALP level in acute phase than patients with MS,and the serum ALP levels in male patients with NMO and the serum GGT levels in female patients with NMO were, respectively,statistically higher than that of male patients with MS and female patients with MS (P<0.05). In patients with NMO, significantly positive correlations between serum GGT level and both age and times of relapse were noted (P<0.05). Conclusion Serum ALP and GGT levels differ in patients with NMO and MS, indicating their differential diagnostic value in NMO and MS to certain extent. Key words: Neuromyelitis optica; Multiple sclerosis; Blood brain barrier; Alkaline phosphatase; γ-glutamyl transpeptidase