Measuring the blood levels of natural killer (NK) cells, a type of immune cell, may serve as a diagnostic biomarker for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a study showed. Blood tests consistently showed significantly lower NK cell proportions and counts in NMOSD patients than in healthy individuals and in…
Discussion
What does it take to be a rare disease patient? An immense amount of time and patience. Buckets of both, preferably refillable. Even when you think things have settled and you’re managing your health well, something pops up. After many years with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), I’ve come…
Infusions of stem cells derived from umbilical cords proved safe for people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and look to be a promising new therapy for the autoimmune disease, according to data from an early clinical trial conducted in China. In the trial, the two-year treatment, which consisted…
NMOSD is a progressive autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks nerve cells, affecting the nervous system. Learn more about the disease here.
Scientists do not know the exact underlying cause of NMOSD. Self-reactive antibodies that target AQP4 are known to play a major role. Learn more about what causes the disease here.
When the disease affects the optic nerve (optic neuritis), it can result in pain inside the eye and possibly blurry vision or vision loss. Learn more about the symptoms of the disease here.
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