OBJECTIVE: To investigate an association between serum B cell activating factor of TNF family (BAFF) levels and anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody titers in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) after rituximab treatment. BACKGROUND: Anti-AQP4 antibodies are present in approximately 70% of NMO patients. Such antibodies are probably pathogenic and the titers are elevated during relapse as compared with those in remission.
Current diagnostic criteria of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) includes presence of acute optic neuritis (ON) and myelitis with at least two of the three supportive criteria, which consist of spinal cord magnetic resonance image (MRI) lesion extending over 3 vertebral segments, brain MRI lesion, which does not meet the diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis, and NMO-IgG seropositive status A 34-year-old woman presented with two episodes of acute demyelinating processes in the central nervous system within three years. Firstly, she presented with a 2-week history of neck pain, oscillopsia, vertigo, and weakness
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.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of repeated rituximab treatment based on the assessment of peripheral circulating memory B cells over 24 months in patients with relapsing neuromyelitis optica (NMO). DESIGN: Prospective open-label study.
Background: Although it has been well established that vaccination does not increase the risk of relapse in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), no study on the influence of immunization on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOsd) has been conducted. As NMO differs from MS in a number of aspects, including its immunopathogenetic mechanisms, vaccination may have some influence on the occurrence of new relapses
Background: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system predominantly affecting the optic nerves and spinal cord with severe relapses resulting devastating disability.