diagnosis

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are at an increased risk of being diagnosed with another autoimmune disease — specifically lupus or Sjögren’s syndrome — according to a large-scale analysis of inpatient hospitalization data in the U.S. In fact, NMOSD patients had a 12 times higher…

Two blood markers — neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) — provide complementary clinical information about neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a review study highlights. “Based on the results of several studies, both NfL and GFAP are considered to have their own strengths as clinical…

A new study of disease prevalence estimates that about 22,000 people in the U.S. were living with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) in 2022. The findings also suggest that the progressive autoimmune disease is most common in Black women, as compared with other U.S. demographics. For Asian American women,…

Certain long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) — a family of molecules that can regulate gene activity — tied to immune function were at significantly higher levels in the blood of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) compared with the general population, a study reports. All four evaluated markers —…

My health situation has become incredibly trying recently. I’m hesitant to shed any tears because I fear they won’t stop. When I was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), I was told I might face one or more additional autoimmune diseases in my lifetime. Initially, this warning seemed…

Nearly 1 in 5 people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) experience early neurological symptoms prior to their first established NMOSD attack, new research suggests. These symptoms could represent an NMOSD prodrome, a disease stage where nonspecific symptoms emerge before the classic manifestations of the disease. A better…

The clinical symptoms of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) in people in their 50s or older may look like those of a stroke — which can delay proper diagnosis and treatment of the the progressive autoimmune disorder, according to a case report and systematic literature review. That’s what happened…

Genetic variations linked with cold sores and shingles infections have been associated with the development of AQP4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to genetic analysis. The findings suggest that the herpes simplex virus, which is the cause of cold sores, and the varicella-zoster virus, which leads to…

Certain neurological symptoms of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) occur at higher rates in patients who also have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a recent review study. Features of NMOSD, including longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis — a type of spinal cord inflammation — and involvement of certain…

The presence of certain self-reactive antibodies called antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) in the blood is associated with worse disability and more severe relapses in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to a study from China. “Our results suggest that ANA seems to be more associated with severe disease…