Clinical characteristics
These syndromes are classified based on the location of the lesions and manifest as acute attacks, or relapses.1 In more than 85% of affected adults, the sentinel attack involves the optic nerve (optic neuritis) or spinal cord (transverse myelitis), with symptoms evolving over a period of days.1
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* Retrospective, observational study including 522 patients with NMOSD from PatientsLikeMe (PLM), an online patient community.2
The majority of patients with anti–AQP4 antibody–positive NMOSD follow a relapsing course of the disease and 55% of patients have their first relapse within 1 year, while 90% can expect to relapse 5 years after diagnosis.4
* A retrospective, observational cohort study from a US claims database including 1363 adult patients with NMOSD.5
Additional relapse–induced consequences include fatigue, pain, stiffness, bladder problems, sexual dysfunction, insomnia, bowel problems, and excessive daytime sleepiness.2
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AQP4, aquaporin–4; EDSS Expanded Disability Status Scale; NMOSD, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
Wingerchuk DM, Lucchinetti CF. Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. N Engl J Med. 2022;387(7):631–639. Eaneff S, et al. Patient perspectives on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders: Data from the PatientsLikeMe online community. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2017;17:116–122. Huda S, et al. Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Clin Med (Lond). 2019;19(2):169–176. Mandler RN, Neuromyelitis optica – Delvic’s syndrome, update. Autoimmun Rev. 2006;5(8):537–543. Royston M, et al. Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: Clinical burden and cost of relapses and disease-related care in US clincial practice. Neurol Ther. 2021;10(2):767–783.