Keywords: Neuromyelitis optica; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Systemic Sjogren’s; Myelitis; Autoantibody Abstract Objective: To identify the presence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) in patients with acute myelitis and suspected connective tissue disease (CTD), and to discuss the utility of this distinction in establishing a diagnostic and therapeutic plan. Methods: Seventeen patients with myelitis were identified from a single university-based rheumatology clinic and prospectively followed. Clinical data and serologic profile were used to determine the presence of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) or NMOSD according to established criteria
Multiple sclerosis: clinical aspects Sunday, May 29, 2011, 12:00 – 13:00 Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: the importance of NMO-IgG in clinical practice M. Radaelli, V
My notes of reading/lectures/thoughts about neuromyelitis optica (Devic’s disease).
Transverse Myelitis: Symptoms, Causes and Diagnosis Joanne Lynn, M.D. Transverse myelitis (TM) is a neurologic syndrome caused by inflammation of the spinal cord. TM is uncommon but not rare.
Background: Optic neuritis (ON) is a common first demyelinating event in multiple sclerosis (MS), and one of absolute clinical events to diagnose neuromyelitis optica (NMO). However, it seemed not all ON attacks are clinically evident.
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO or Devic’s syndrome) is a rare autoimmune disease, previously considered a multiple sclerosis variant. The most important laboratory and clinical features are optic myelitis and transverse myelitis, associated with neuromyelitis optica-IgG antibody (NMO-IgG) positivity. Subsequent to this immunological test being available, different groups have described the not-so-rare comorbidity of neuromyelitis optica with other systemic autoimmune diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus with secondary anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) in particular.
INTRODUCTION: The description of a highly sensitive and specific biomarker for neuromyelitis optica (NMO-IgG/aquaporin-4 antibody) extended the clinical spectrum of NMO to limited forms such as optic neuritis (ON) and longitudinally extensive myelitis (LEM). OBJECTIVE: To asses the sensitivity and specificity of our assay, and to describe the clinical characteristics of the patients who were tested for NMO-IgG. METHODS: NMO-IgG was analysed by immunohistochemistry and confirmed by assay on HEK cells transfected with aquaporin-4.
It is known that pregnancy influences the relapsing rate of multiple sclerosis (MS); however, interaction between pregnancy and relapse of neuromyelitis optica (NMO), a distinct disease from MS, remains unclear. A 34-year-old woman who 1 year previously had clinical history of Sj?gren syndrome complicated by myelitis with the presence of anti-AQP4 antibody in her serum, although there was no optic neuritis involvement, was neurologically normal at time of becoming pregnant.
Both general neurologists and neurologists with a broad spectrum of subspecialty interests are often asked to evaluate patients with disorders of the spinal cord. Over the past decade, there have been significant advances in our understanding of a wide spectrum of immune-mediated, infectious, metabolic, hereditary, paraneoplastic, and compressive myelopathies. Advances have been made in the classification and management of spinal vascular malformations.
Anti-aquaporin-4 (Aqp-4) antibody and complement system have emerged as major pathogenic factors in neuromyelitis optica (NMO). To test the significance of interleukin-6 (IL-6), another important humoral immunity factor, in NMO pathogenesis, we measured serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IL-6 levels of 23 NMO, 11 transverse myelitis, 16 optic neuritis, 27 relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis patients, and 20 neurologically normal controls
BACKGROUND: There have been few epidemiologic studies on neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and none used the recent 2006 diagnostic criteria. Here we describe the clinical, laboratory, MRI, and disability course of NMO in a French cohort of 125 patients. METHODS: We performed an observational, retrospective, multicenter study.
OBJECTIVES: Spinal cord compression may be associated with a fusiform cord lesion on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images, leading to confusion with transverse myelitis and delaying effective surgical treatment. RESULTS: We describe 5 patients referred for evaluation of suspected neuromyelitis optica in whom the final diagnosis was symptomatic cervical spinal stenosis.