Plasma phospholipids and their fatty acid composition in multiple sclerosis

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Abstract
Total phospholipids, their fatty acid composition and separate phospholipid components were determined chromatographally in plasma samples from 27 patients with multiple sclerosis and 17 "neurological" controls. In patients exhibiting moderate or marked degrees of disease activity the concentration of total phospholipids and their contained fatty acids were found to be significantly reduced. When the fatty acid components are expressed as percentages of the total fatty acids present no evidence of significant change was seen. Additionally, the proportions of different phospholipids showed no alteration from normal. It appears that the reduction in the level of cholesteryl linoleate in patients with recent deterioration is not accompanied by any significant change of phospholipid linoleate. Since total phospholipid content is lowered only in those cases of most active disease, it appears that cholesteryl linoleate is not the only blood lipid to show change in multiple sclerosis.