Disease progression

Experts in Germany have published recommendations to help clinicians diagnose neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and distinguish it from other disorders with similar symptoms. The guidelines were detailed in “Update on the diagnosis and treatment of [neuromyelitis] optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) – revised recommendations of the…

SPHERES, a real-world registry designed to better understand neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) — its underlying mechanisms, clinical course, and treatment effects — has reached a milestone of 200 enrolled patients. Standing for Synergy of Prospective Health & Experimental Research for Emerging Solutions in NMOSD, the SPHERES…

People who are younger at the onset of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and those with multiple organ involvement at the first attack by the disease have a higher risk of relapse during treatment with traditional immunosuppressants, a study showed. A reduction in the levels of antibodies against…

The annual prevalence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) in the U.S. is considerably higher than previously estimated, affecting about nine out of every 100,000 people, according to a study that analyzed 2021 electronic health records. The data also showed that the disease is more than twice as common…

More than a third of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) show cognitive impairment, particularly in visual processing speed and verbal domains, according to a large study in Germany. This cognitive impairment was independent of disease duration and remained constant over two years of follow-up. It also did…

Ofatumumab, a medication approved for multiple sclerosis (MS), effectively prevented relapses and disability progression in a 67-year old woman with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who failed to respond to rituximab, a Chinese case report described. Both ofatumumab and rituximab — often used off-label in NMOSD — promote the…

People who develop neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) later in life may go on to experience worse outcomes than those who have early-onset disease, a study in China has found. Worse outcomes included a higher frequency of inflammation of the thoracic spinal cord during relapses, more brain lesions and…

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who experience relapses are three times more likely to change their treatment regimen than those who have no relapses, a study found. Researchers also observed that people who experienced optic neuritis with or without brain symptoms, those with shorter disease duration, and…

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have elevated levels of the pro-inflammatory protein AIMP1 in the bloodstream, and higher levels seem to correlate with worse disability, a study showed. These AIMP1 levels dropped markedly after anti-inflammatory therapy, but still remained higher among patients in remission than in people…

The onset of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) at an older age is linked with a greater likelihood of spinal cord involvement at the first disease attack, fewer relapses, and greater disability, according to a study in China. “Age of disease onset correlates with clinical characteristics and prognostic outcomes…