TY - JOUR
T1 - The clinical course of neuromyelitis optica (Devic's syndrome)
AU - Wingerchuk, Dean M.
AU - Hogancamp, William F.
AU - O'Brien, Peter C.
AU - Weinshenker, Brian G.
PY - 1999/9/22
Y1 - 1999/9/22
N2 - Objectives: To evaluate the spectrum of neuromyelitis optica (NMO), including Characteristics of the index events (optic neuritis [ON]) and myelitis), neuroimaging, CSF, and serologic studies, and to evaluate the long-term course. Methods: Review of 71 patients with NMO evaluated at the Mayo Clinic between 1950 and 1997. Results: NMO was either monophasic or relapsing. Patients with a monophasic course (n = 23) usually presented with rapidly sequential index events (median 5 days) with moderate recovery. Most with a relapsing course (n = 48) had an extended interval between index events (median 166 days) followed within 3 years by clusters of severe relapses isolated to the optic nerves and spinal cord. Most relapsing patients developed severe disability in a stepwise manner, and one-third died because of respiratory failure. Features of NMO distinct from 'typical' MS included >50 cells/mm3 in CSF (often polymorphonuclear), normal initial brain MRI, and lesions extending over three or more vertebral segments on spinal cord MRI. Conclusions: Clinical, laboratory, and imaging features generally distinguish neuromyelitis optica from MS. Patients with relapsing optic neuritis and myelitis may have neuromyelitis optica rather than MS. Patients with a relapsing course of neuromyelitis optica have a poor prognosis and frequently develop respiratory failure during attacks of cervical myelitis.
AB - Objectives: To evaluate the spectrum of neuromyelitis optica (NMO), including Characteristics of the index events (optic neuritis [ON]) and myelitis), neuroimaging, CSF, and serologic studies, and to evaluate the long-term course. Methods: Review of 71 patients with NMO evaluated at the Mayo Clinic between 1950 and 1997. Results: NMO was either monophasic or relapsing. Patients with a monophasic course (n = 23) usually presented with rapidly sequential index events (median 5 days) with moderate recovery. Most with a relapsing course (n = 48) had an extended interval between index events (median 166 days) followed within 3 years by clusters of severe relapses isolated to the optic nerves and spinal cord. Most relapsing patients developed severe disability in a stepwise manner, and one-third died because of respiratory failure. Features of NMO distinct from 'typical' MS included >50 cells/mm3 in CSF (often polymorphonuclear), normal initial brain MRI, and lesions extending over three or more vertebral segments on spinal cord MRI. Conclusions: Clinical, laboratory, and imaging features generally distinguish neuromyelitis optica from MS. Patients with relapsing optic neuritis and myelitis may have neuromyelitis optica rather than MS. Patients with a relapsing course of neuromyelitis optica have a poor prognosis and frequently develop respiratory failure during attacks of cervical myelitis.
KW - Devic's syndrome
KW - MS
KW - Myelitis
KW - Neuromyelitis optica
KW - Optic neuritis
KW - Prognosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033595449&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0033595449&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1212/wnl.53.5.1107
DO - 10.1212/wnl.53.5.1107
M3 - Article
C2 - 10496275
AN - SCOPUS:0033595449
SN - 0028-3878
VL - 53
SP - 1107
EP - 1114
JO - Neurology
JF - Neurology
IS - 5
ER -