Leukocyte profiles in blood and CSF distinguish neurosarcoidosis from multiple sclerosis.

Distinguishing neurosarcoidosis (NS) from multiple sclerosis (MS) remains challenging and available parameters lack discriminatory power. Comprehensive flow cytometry data of blood and CSF leukocytes of patients with NS (n = 24), MS (n = 49) and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH, n = 52) were analyzed by machine learning algorithms. NS featured a specific immune cell pattern with increased activated CD4+ T cells in CSF and increased plasma cells in blood. Combining blood and CSF parameters improved the differentiation. We thereby identify and independently validate a multi-dimensional model of blood and CSF supporting the difficult differential diagnosis between NS and MS. Blood and CSF of NS patients exhibit adistinct features that allow a predictive model to distinguish NS from MS. Parts of the images have been adapted from Servier Medical Art and from SVG SILH available under Creative Commons Attribution License. Unlabelled Image • Activated CD4+ T cells in CSF and plasma cells in blood are increased in NS compared to MS. • The combination of blood and CSF parameters aids distinguishing between NS and MS. • We generated and validated a multi-dimensional model of blood and CSF parameters to discriminate NS from MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]