Beta-Trace Protein in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy and Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Clinical Utilization and a New Insight Into Pathophysiological Mechanisms

The study examines beta-trace protein (BTP) as a biomarker for diagnosing chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), involving 23 GBS patients, 21 CIDP patients, and various controls. Results indicate elevated BTP levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for both conditions compared to disease-free controls, with CIDP patients also showing higher levels than other disease controls. Elevated BTP in CSF was linked to therapy failure in CIDP, suggesting its potential as a predictive biomarker, though further validation is needed. BTP may offer more diagnostic value than albumin in certain subgroups with normal or mildly elevated albumin quotients. The study suggests inflammation at the spinal nerve roots may increase BTP synthesis or release into the CSF.