Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is characterized by the association of optic neuritis and myelitis without any other neurological signs. In 30 % of the cases, NMO is associated with a systemic disorders.
Background: Association of the HLA-DRB1*1501 allele with multiple sclerosis is well established, but its association with neuromyelitis optica has only been evaluated in small populations. Methods: We performed a case-control genetic association study to evaluate the association of HLA-DRB1*1501 with neuromyelitis optica. The single nucleotide polymorphism rs3135388, which tags HLA-DRB1*1501, was genotyped in 164 patients with neuromyelitis optica, 220 patients with multiple sclerosis and 959 controls matched for age, gender and ethnicity
BACKGROUND: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a disease of the CNS characterized by severe optic neuritis and longitudinally extended transverse myelitis. Recent studies suggest that anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibodies, NMO-specific biomarkers, are pathogenic and target AQP4-expressing astrocytes in NMO, although an additional event (T-cell response or infection) should occur for anti-AQP4 antibodies and complements to pass through the blood-brain barrier and cause the CNS lesions
It may be possible to save money by treating multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica with lower doses of rituximab, but the result may be a shorter period of effectiveness, according to one study.
Neuromyelitis optica has not been thoroughly studied in Brazilian patients following the discovery of NMOIgG and its specific antigen aquaporin-4.
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.
A full-term female neonate was born with severe hypotonia and weakness. Her mother had been treated for neuromyelitis optica (Devic disease) for 6 years
BACKGROUND: Although overt involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) in myasthenia gravis (MG) is considered rare, hyperreflexia is a common and yet unexplained finding. Aquaporin 4 (AQP4), the target autoantigen in neuromyelitis optica, is expressed both in the CNS and in the neuromuscular junction
Background: A new autoantibody (termed NMO-IgG, or AQP4-Ab) has recently been described in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and its formes frustes, longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) and recurrent optic neuritis (rON). However, AQP4-Ab has been found also in patients with co-existing rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or Sjogren’s syndrome (SS), conditions which are characterized by broad, polyspecific B cell activation
Lidocaine unmasks silent symptoms and eases neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis patients; however, the effects of lidocaine in neuromyelitis optica have never been reported. We describe the case of a 59-year-old Japanese woman with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder who developed optic neuritis 1 day after intravenous lidocaine injection for treating allodynia. Her symptom seemed to result from a relapse of neuromyelitis optica induced by lidocaine administration, and not because of the transient effects of intravenous lidocaine administration.
A 29-YEAR-OLD WOMAN of Afro-Caribbean descent with a history of thyrotoxicosis was evaluated for right leg weakness and diagnosed as having myelitis.
Background: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a demyelinating disorder involving optic neuritis and transverse myelitis.