Red cell electrophoretic mobility test for early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

We have confirmed the red cell electrophoretic mobility-unsaturated fatty acid test for multiple sclerosis, which involves measuring the change in electrophoretic mobility of erythrocytes in Medium 199 upon the addition of linoleic acid. Using defibrinated blood samples, the average decrease in the mobility of red cells upon the addition of linoleic acid of 57 multiple sclerosis patients was 6.7 +/- 2.1% and that of 23 normal control subjects was .09 +/- 1.2% (p less than 0.001). In addition, blood anticoagulated with trisodium citrate was found to give similar test results, and such preparations were found to be simpler and quicker to use.