Oligoclonal bands not a marker of progression
Oligoclonal bands (OCBs) in the CSF are commonly found in people with MS and are indications of antibody-driven attacks against some set of target antigens. Since antibodies are thought to contribute to at least some of the tissue damage seen in MS, a group of researchers wondered whether the presence of OCBs at diagnosis was indicative of faster progression.
They followed a group of 143 people with MS for five years and analyzed changes in disability scores at the end of that period. They did not find any greater progression in those subjects who had had OCBs compared with those who didn't; the rates of conversion to secondary progressive MS was also similar between the two groups. So if you've ever been told that you had OCBs in your spinal fluid, there's no need to worry that this will portend more aggressive disease.
This observation has
This observation has interesting implications. One of the 3 deaths on tysabri was a mid 40s woman who was on combo with Avonex. Following her death, there exist legal proceedings which are challenging whether or not this woman even HAD multiple sclerosis at all, the piece of evidence which purports that she did not was the lack of OCBs in her CSF at autopsy (her CSF was never tested when she was Dx with MS).
This article implies that the presence of OCBs is not guaranteed with MS and therefore it strikes me as a weak argument to use in questioning the validity of the diagnosis.
I think they're grasping at
I think they're grasping at straws. OCBs are only evidence in favor of a diagnosis. Lack of OCBs happens in proven MS cases, e.g. see here
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Art Mellor, Accelerated Cure Project for MS, art-msnews -at- acceleratedcure.com