Genetic analysis of aquaporin-4 in neuromyelitis optica. Matiello M , Schaefer-Klein JL , Hebrink DD , Kingsbury DJ , Atkinson EJ , Weinshenker BG ; On behalf of the NMO Genetics Collaborators
Objective: To estimate the frequency and prognostic value of NMO-IgG seropositivity in patients presenting with isolated optic neuritis (ON) and no prior neurological events. Background: The aquaporin-4-specific autoantibody, NMO-IgG, is a biomarker for neuromyelitis optica (NMO). We have shown that 38% of patients with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) and 20% of recurrent ON are seropositive and are at high risk for recurrence of ON and myelits
May 5, 2010 — Devic’s neuromyelitis optica (DNMO) is a demyelinating disease characterized by bilateral visual disturbance and transverse myelopathy. It was first described in 1894 by Eugene Devic [1] in a woman who suffered from a bilateral optic neuritis and acute transverse myelitis. Pathologically, lesions are restricted to the optic nerves and spinal cord, with areas of necrosis of gray and white matter, cavitations, lack of inflammatory infiltrate, vascular hyalinization, and fibrosis [2]