There are two distinct subtypes of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Asians: opticospinal (OSMS) and conventional (CMS). OSMS has similar features to neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and half of OSMS patients have the NMO-Immunoglobulin G (IgG)/ anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody.
BACKGROUND: Antibodies to aquaporin-4 (AQP4) are found in a fraction of Japanese opticospinal multiple sclerosis (OSMS) patients. However, it remains unknown whether anti-AQP4 antibody-positive and negative OSMS patients possess an identical disease
OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we examined some demographic and clinical features of Turkish LDDD patients and we compared these features with Turkish conventional MS patients, on the basis of demographic, clinical and immunological features. BACKGROUND: So called limited disseminated demyelinating diseases (LDDDs) includes optic neuritis (ON), transverse myelitis (TM), optic-spinal multiple sclerosis (OSMS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO). OSMS and NMO select the involvement of optic nerve and spinal cord more than conventional multiple sclerosis (CMS)
BACKGROUND: Interferon-β-1b (IFNβ-1b) has been used to prevent exacerbation of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) including optic-spinal multiple sclerosis (OSMS) in Japan. We encountered 2 patients with OSMS with unexpectedly severe exacerbation soon after the initiation of IFNβ-1b therapy. The experience urged us to retrospectively review the patients with RRMS who had been treated with IFNβ-1b to identify similar cases.