Neuromyelitis Optica: A Case Report

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO, Devic's syndrome) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that predominantly affects the spinal cord and optic nerves. It is often confused with multiple sclerosis. Early discrimination between NMO and multiple sclerosis is important because the two d...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wei-Chia Chia, Jian-Nan Wang, Ming-Chi Lai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2010-12-01
Series:Pediatrics and Neonatology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875957210600678
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850153147900624896
author Wei-Chia Chia
Jian-Nan Wang
Ming-Chi Lai
author_facet Wei-Chia Chia
Jian-Nan Wang
Ming-Chi Lai
author_sort Wei-Chia Chia
collection DOAJ
description Neuromyelitis optica (NMO, Devic's syndrome) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that predominantly affects the spinal cord and optic nerves. It is often confused with multiple sclerosis. Early discrimination between NMO and multiple sclerosis is important because the two diseases have different natural histories and treatment regimens. Seropositivity for NMO-IgG and longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesions (3 or more spinal segments) are characteristic of NMO. Despite the absence of a definitive therapeutic strategy for NMO syndrome, methylprednisolone pulse therapy is recommended in the acute phase. Treatment strategies in relapse phases are aimed at preventing relapses, and increasing evidence shows a better clinical response of immunosuppressive therapy than immuno-modulating therapy (a standard multiple sclerosis-modulating therapy). We describe a 10-year-old girl who had visual loss due to acute optic neuritis at 6 years old and suffered repetitive myelitis 2 years later. NMO was diagnosed because of characteristic longitudinal myelitis and positive NMO-IgG. After combining therapy with prednisolone and an immunosuppressant (cyclophosphamide), the patient's medical condition was stable and no relapse symptoms were observed.
format Article
id doaj-art-130536a8a0074ec6a7eb42704962fbf0
institution OA Journals
issn 1875-9572
language English
publishDate 2010-12-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Pediatrics and Neonatology
spelling doaj-art-130536a8a0074ec6a7eb42704962fbf02025-08-20T02:25:48ZengElsevierPediatrics and Neonatology1875-95722010-12-0151634735210.1016/S1875-9572(10)60067-8Neuromyelitis Optica: A Case ReportWei-Chia Chia0Jian-Nan Wang1Ming-Chi Lai2Department of Family Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Yong Kang Campus, Tainan, TaiwanDepartment of Family Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Yong Kang Campus, Tainan, TaiwanDepartment of Pediatrics, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Yong Kang Campus, Tainan, TaiwanNeuromyelitis optica (NMO, Devic's syndrome) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that predominantly affects the spinal cord and optic nerves. It is often confused with multiple sclerosis. Early discrimination between NMO and multiple sclerosis is important because the two diseases have different natural histories and treatment regimens. Seropositivity for NMO-IgG and longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesions (3 or more spinal segments) are characteristic of NMO. Despite the absence of a definitive therapeutic strategy for NMO syndrome, methylprednisolone pulse therapy is recommended in the acute phase. Treatment strategies in relapse phases are aimed at preventing relapses, and increasing evidence shows a better clinical response of immunosuppressive therapy than immuno-modulating therapy (a standard multiple sclerosis-modulating therapy). We describe a 10-year-old girl who had visual loss due to acute optic neuritis at 6 years old and suffered repetitive myelitis 2 years later. NMO was diagnosed because of characteristic longitudinal myelitis and positive NMO-IgG. After combining therapy with prednisolone and an immunosuppressant (cyclophosphamide), the patient's medical condition was stable and no relapse symptoms were observed.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875957210600678neuromyelitis opticaneuromyelitis optica-IgGoptic neuritistransverse myelitis
spellingShingle Wei-Chia Chia
Jian-Nan Wang
Ming-Chi Lai
Neuromyelitis Optica: A Case Report
Pediatrics and Neonatology
neuromyelitis optica
neuromyelitis optica-IgG
optic neuritis
transverse myelitis
title Neuromyelitis Optica: A Case Report
title_full Neuromyelitis Optica: A Case Report
title_fullStr Neuromyelitis Optica: A Case Report
title_full_unstemmed Neuromyelitis Optica: A Case Report
title_short Neuromyelitis Optica: A Case Report
title_sort neuromyelitis optica a case report
topic neuromyelitis optica
neuromyelitis optica-IgG
optic neuritis
transverse myelitis
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875957210600678
work_keys_str_mv AT weichiachia neuromyelitisopticaacasereport
AT jiannanwang neuromyelitisopticaacasereport
AT mingchilai neuromyelitisopticaacasereport