The Lancet Neurology
Fecha de publicación: November 10, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(20)30392-6
Autores: Michael Levy, MD , Prof Kazuo Fujihara, MD, Prof Jacqueline Palace, DM
Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder is an autoimmune disease of the CNS that primarily affects the optic nerves and spinal cord. Most patients have serum antibodies targeting the aquaporin-4 water channel expressed on the end-feet of astrocytes. Although the prevalence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder is limited to around 1–2 people per 100 000, severe immune-mediated attacks can quickly lead to blindness and paralysis if undiagnosed and untreated. However, diagnosis is straightforward when the highly specific serum aquaporin-4 antibodies are detected with cell-based assays.
