Table 3 Clinical and neuroradiological characteristics of 23 patients with neuromyelitis optica or relapsing myelitis who are seropositive for AQP4 autoantibodies by cell-based IIFA, divided into those who are seropositive and seronegative for NMO-IgG by tissue-based IIFA.
| Â | NMO IgG +ve (n = 17) | NMO-IgG -ve (n = 6) | Significance p value |
|---|---|---|---|
Female (%) | 15 (88%) | 6 (100%) | ns |
Mean onset age in years (range) | 42.0 (18-64) | 52.8 (17-70) | ns |
Mean duration of follow-up in years (range) | 6.6 (2-15) | 3.9 (2-8) | ns |
Patients with LETM (%) | 16 (94%) | 6 (100%) | ns |
Mean myelitis attack rate in no. of attacks per year (range) | 0.8 (0.2-2.0) | 0.7 (0.3-1.0) | ns |
Mean myelitis attack rate in first 2 years of disease in no. of attacks per year | 1.6 (0.5-3.0) | 1.4 (0.5-4.0) | ns |
Mean length of MRI T2W hyperintense signal abnormalities in no. of vertebral segments (range) | 5.3 (2-17) | 5.7 (3-10) | ns |
Patients with MRI brain lesions compatible with inflammatory demyelination (%) | 10 (59%) | 3 (50%) | ns |
Patients with CSF OCB (%) | 2 (12%) | 0 | ns |
Patients with other autoimmune disorders or autoantibodies (%) | 5 (29%) | 1 (17%) | ns |
Patients with poor visual outcome (%) | 4 (24%) | 1 (17%) | ns |
Mean EDSS score at latest follow-up (range) | 5.9 (2.0-10) | 6.8 (6.0-8.0) | ns |
Patients with poor neurological outcome (%) | 11 (65%) | 6 (100%) | ns |