The finding of alkaline oligoclonal bands (OCB) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) supports the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, there is lack of data concerning OCB during immunomodulation therapy and changes of their pattern were not reported in the literature.The authors examined a group of 8 MS patients – 6 females (aged 24–46 years, average age 34.7) and 2 males (aged 18 and 43 years, average age 30.5). CSF samples were taken 3–17 months before and 4–7 months after initiation of interferon β or glatiramer acetate therapy. The number of alkaline OCB in CSF was assessed by the method of isoelectric focusing. In 7 patients reduction of the number of OCB by 1–14 (average 5.6) was observed, in 1 patient the numberofOCBincreased by 3. The authors consider these results stimulating for extending, and possibly also methodological improvement of the study.

        Key words: oligoclonal bands, cerebrospinal fluid, beta-interferon, glatiramer acetate, multiple sclerosis