© 2017 American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. November 28, 2017; 89 (22) Eric C. Klawiter, Riley Bove, Liene Elsone, Enrique Alvarez, Nadja Borisow, Melissa Cortez, Farrah Mateen, Maureen A. Mealy, Jaime Sorum, Kerry Mutch, Sean…
Mult Scler. 2017 Dec;23(14):1808-1817. Shosha E1, Pittock SJ2, Flanagan E2, Weinshenker BG3. Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) predominantly affect women who are of childbearing age….
Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2016 Oct 7;3(6):e288. eCollection 2016. Davoudi V, Keyhanian K, Bove RM, Chitnis T. Abstract Anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) autoantibody plays a key role in…
J Neuroinflammation. 2016 Sep 27;13(1):280. Jarius S1, Ruprecht K2, Kleiter I3, Borisow N4,5, Asgari N6, Pitarokoili K3, Pache F4,5, Stich O7, Beume LA7, Hümmert MW8,…
Guest blogger and NMO Support Group leader, Erin Miller, writes about the first-ever NMO Pregnancy Support Group teleconference she hosted in June. I started this…
Background: Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) is a rare but severe disease affecting young adults with a mean age at onset of 34.5 years. The female: male ratio is 3:1 so most of patients are women of childbearing potential.
In neuromyelitis optica (NMO), the monoclonal B-cell antibody rituximab is a therapeutic option. Little is known about the course of NMO and the safety of rituximab during pregnancy.
When Mrs G presented to the emergency room, clinical examination with transverse spinal cord syndrome, magnetic resonance imaging, and her complete clinical remission after plasmapheresis as well as lack of response to treatment pointed to longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis, representing an inaugural or limited form of neuromyelitis optica. The diagnosis was confirmed by detection of anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibodies.