Real-World Laboratory Analysis of Molecular Biomarkers in Multiple Sclerosis Centers in Central-Eastern European Countries Covering 107 Million Inhabitants
A multicenter molecular biomarker survey was conducted in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) centers across Central-Eastern European countries, encompassing a population of 107 million. Our aim was to provide a "snapshot" for future studies investigating the use of molecular biomarkers in MS. A self-report questionnaire was distributed via email to MS centers in seven Central-Eastern European countries (Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia) and to four reference centers (two in Austria, one in Germany, and one in Denmark), focusing on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis and molecular biomarkers in MS. Responding centers routinely request CSF oligoclonal band (OCB) testing in suspected MS cases, although no consensus exists on the number of CSF-restricted bands required to define OCB positivity, either within or between countries. More than half of the surveyed centers in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the reference centers request kappa free light chain (κFLC) testing in patients with suspected MS. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is frequently used as a molecular biomarker for MS in Romania, Slovakia, and the reference centers. In summary, besides the use of CSF-specific OCB there is no consensus among the surveyed countries regarding the use of molecular biomarkers in MS.
Authors
- Melinda Magyari (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0972-5222)
- Vanja Bašić Kes
- Harald Hegen
- Achim Berthele (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9650-6222)
- Bernhard Hemmer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5985-6784)
- Anett Járdánházy
- Dana Horáková (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1915-0036)
- Cristina Tiu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8532-6218)
- László Vécsei (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8037-3672)
- Halina Bartosik-Psujek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2860-6456)
- Alenka Horvat Ledinek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4240-4815)
- Krisztina Bencsik (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1400-1288)
- Thomas Berger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5626-1144)
- Konrad Rejdak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7019-6681)
- Zsigmond Tamás Kincses (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1442-4475)
- Mario Habek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3360-1748)
- Eva Havrdová (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9543-4359)
- Jelena Drulović (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4516-3458)
- Peter Turčáni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4868-6836)
Institutions
- Semmelweis University (HU)
- Medical University of Lublin (PL)
- University Hospital Centre Zagreb (HR)
- Innsbruck Medical University (AT)
- Universität Innsbruck (AT)
- Charles University (CZ)
- University of Szeged (HU)
- Clinical Emergency Hospital Bucharest (RO)
- Ljubljana University Medical Centre (SI)
- University Hospital Bratislava (SK)
- Emergency University (US)
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (DE)
- Sisters of Charity Hospital (HR)
- University Clinical Centre (PL)
- Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center (DK)
- MTA-SZTE Research Group on Artificial Intelligence (HU)
- General University Hospital in Prague (CZ)
- Technical University of Munich (DE)
- Comenius University Bratislava (SK)
- Medical University of Vienna (AT)
- University of Rzeszów (PL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Published
- 2025-08-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26178274
- Primary Topic
- Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00