The detection of antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4) has improved the diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica (NMO). We evaluated a recently established cell-based anti-AQP4 assay in 273 patients with inflammatory CNS demyelination. The assay had a specificity of 99% and a sensitivity of 56% to detect all NMO patients and of 74% to detect the recurrent NMO patients, similar to the initial studies reported.
Background: Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) and its spectrum disorders (NMOSD), which include recurrent transverse myelitis (rTM) and recurrent optic neuritis (rON) are demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS).
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system characterized by severe demyelinating inflammatory attacks typically affecting the spinal cord and optic nerves. Anti-aquaporin-4(AQP4) serum autoantibodies are present in approximately 70% of NMO patients. Those antibodies probably are pathogenic and the titers are elevated during relapse as compared with those in remission