Elevated Potassium Channel Antibodies

[heathmcev]

I just got the results from my paraneoplastic / Autoimmune Dysautonomia panel from Mayo. My neuro called and said that my potassium channel antibodies were slightly elevated. From looking at the mayo's page on the testing (http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Overview/89904) I believe he is referring to the VGKC - or Neuronal Voltage-Gated Potassium Channel Complex Autoantibody Serum. But what does that acually mean?? Googling it gave me a few clues but most of it was way over my brain-fogged head (really can't think straight at the moment). I couldn't find previous discussion on dinet either.

My neuro didn't give me any real info - just said he is not rushing to any diagnoses. He wants to retest it in a few months and see if it's still elevated - and that we'll discuss it at our upcoming appointment in 2 1/2 weeks. In the meantime, I want to learn enough about it be able to ask him the right questions when I see him.

Just wondering if anyone out there has gotten a similar result and has some information.

dizzyde

[sue1234]

That's interesting, and I am interested in hearing what your doctor says. A few weeks ago I ended up somewhere reading about the "voltage-gated _______ channels". I really was wondering about the calcium channel in relation to me and my symptoms, but of course, that's not anything that is just routinely tested! Please do keep us updated.

Any idea what it means?

[Katybug]

dizzyde,

I am still looking for a clearly written explanation of how ion channels work but in the meantime, I found this...there is a whole research unit at Duke University devoted to researching ion channel disease:

http://icru.duhs.duke.edu/description/

[Katybug]

Here are some good expanations of ion channel function:

http://www.cellsalive.com/channels.htm

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp44/4401s.swf

(abstract only) http://www.neurologic.theclinics.com/article/S0733-8619(10)00062-9/abstract

http://www.pnseuronet.org/vgkc.php

[heathmcev]

Thanks so much katybug! Both of those were really helpful. Most of what I've found so far on VGKC-specific searches were not in relation to autonomic issues specifically, but cancer type illnesses. A few had very cursory passing mentions of autonomic dysfunction... just nothing that actually went further than that. Seems I need to read a bit more about general ion channels to get the big picture.

Wish my brain-fogged head would just stretch enough to wrap around all this new info - feel like I have to read everything twice this week!!! Lol

Dizzyde