NMOSD

SPHERES registry to now include NMOSD patients’ biological samples

SPHERES, a real-world registry for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), is now collecting biological samples from consenting participants. Launched by CorEvitas and the Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation (GJCF) in 2021, the registry had been collecting long-term clinical data, but not biological samples. “The launch of this biospecimen…

Stepping out of my comfort zone despite NMOSD

“Mama, can we ride one more roller coaster, please?” I looked at Sophie’s desperate face and could see her excitement waiting to boil over. At 10 years old, my daughter is a tiny daredevil. The bigger and faster the ride, the louder she laughs. I knew she wanted to…

Guidelines to aid diagnosis of NMOSD published

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…

Eye scans may distinguish NMOSD from MOGAD

Eye scans of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) revealed they may have a thicker retina — the eye’s light-detector — and more blood vessels than people with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD). That’s according to a study in which researchers used two noninvasive imaging techniques,…

NMOSD, MOGAD Medical Care Maintained in COVID-19 Pandemic

Access to care and the use of healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic were generally kept up in people affiliated with specialized centers in Germany and Austria who had neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD), a study showed. Moreover, “patients’ satisfaction with medical…

Treatment Changes More Common in NMOSD Patients with Relapses

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…

3 Cases of Cancer-associated NMOSD Reported in Case Series

Tumor removal and immunosuppressive treatment can resolve neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) likely associated with different types of cancer positive for aquaporin 4 (AQP4) protein, according to data from three cases in China. Only two patients showed consistently high blood levels of antibodies against AQP4 (AQP4-IgG) — the most…