In:
European Neurology, S. Karger AG, Vol. 65, No. 2 ( 2011), p. 99-104
Kurzfassung:
〈 i 〉 Background and Objective: 〈 /i 〉 It was the aim of this study to determine the prevalence of anti-aquaporin 4 antibody (anti-AQP4 Ab) and long spinal cord lesions in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in Taiwan. Asia has a relatively high rate of NMO compared with MS patients. Anti-AQP4 Ab is an important marker for NMO worldwide, but serological data and clinical profiles of NMO patients in Taiwan have not been reported. 〈 i 〉 Methods: 〈 /i 〉 This retrospective study compared the clinical symptoms, demographics, spinal cord lesion length and AQP4 Ab status of 34 patients with NMO with 34 patients diagnosed with conventional MS. 〈 i 〉 Results: 〈 /i 〉 Our NMO patients were predominantly middle-aged women (median age 45 years), exhibited many relapses (1.0/year) and displayed a higher Expanded Disability Status Scale score (4.75) than conventional MS patients. NMO patients exhibited long spinal cord lesions as detected by MRI. Forty-one percent of the NMO patients had detectable anti-AQP4 Ab. The Expanded Disability Status Scale score was significantly higher in AQP4 Ab– NMO patients. 〈 i 〉 Conclusion: 〈 /i 〉 The prevalence of AQP4 Ab in a Taiwanese NMO group was 41%. Long spinal cord lesions and detection of AQP4 Ab helped to differentiate NMO patients from MS patients. Long spinal cord lesions with the anti-AQP4 Ab test may allow for an earlier diagnosis of NMO and improve therapeutic decisions.
Materialart:
Online-Ressource
ISSN:
0014-3022
,
1421-9913
Sprache:
Englisch
Verlag:
S. Karger AG
Publikationsdatum:
2011
ZDB Id:
1482237-4
