Patent ID: 6951763

Claim:
An initial screening assay for the presence of a peripheral neuropathy in an individual, comprising: a) contacting a test sample from the individual with a modified solid-phase reactant having carbonyl groups attached thereon and sulfoglucuronyl paragloboside linked to the modified solid-phase reactant by an amide bond between an amino group of the sulfoglucuronyl paragloboside and a carbonyl group attached to the modified solid-phase reactant, wherein antibody to sulfoglucuronyl paragloboside, if present in the test sample, can bind to the sulfoglucronyl paragloboside on the modified solid-phase reactant, and b) determining an amount of antibody to sulfoglucuronyl paragloboside in the test sample, wherein an amount of antibody to sulfoglucuronyl paragloboside that is greater, by an amount that is statistically significant, than the amount in a control sample, is indicative of a positive initial screening assay.