1. Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder in Central America and the Caribbean: A Multinational Clinical Characterization Study
- Author
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Fernando Gracia, Deyanira Ramírez, Alexander Parajeles-Vindas, Alejandro Díaz, Amado Díaz de la Fé, Nicia Eunice Ramírez Sánchez, Romy Castro Escobar, Luis Alberto García Valle, Roberto Weiser, Biany Santos, Awilda Candelario, Aron Benzadon, Pahola Araujo, Carlos Valderrama, Mario Larreategui, Gabriela Carrillo, Karla Gracia, Johana Vázquez-Céspedes, Priscilla Monterrey-Alvarez, Kenneth Carazo-Céspedes, Alfredo Sanabria-Castro, Gustavo Miranda-Loria, Andrea Balmaceda-Meza, Ligia Ibeth Portillo Rivera, Irma Olivera Leal, Luis Cesar Rodriguez Salinas, Arnold Thompson, Ericka López Torres, Daniel Enrique Pereira, Carolina Zepeda, César Abdón López, Ernesto Arturo Cornejo Valse, Karla Zinica Corea Urbina, Marco Antonio Urrutia, Ivonne Van Sijtveld, Blas Armien, and Victor M. Rivera
- Subjects
neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder ,Central America ,Caribbean ,anti-AQP4-IgG antibodies ,anti-MOG-IgG antibodies ,clinical characterization ,Medicine ,Internal medicine ,RC31-1245 ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Abstract
Here, a study of NMOSD in Central America and the Caribbean with a multinational collaborative, multicentric and descriptive approach involving 25 institutions from 9 countries is presented. Demographics, clinical manifestations, expanded disability scale status (EDSS), brain and spinal cord MRI, serological anti-AQP4-IgG and anti-MOG-IgG antibodies, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) oligoclonal bands were included. A central serological repository utilized the cell-based assay. The specimens outside of this network employed diverse methodologies. Data were collected at the Gorgas Commemorative Institute of Health Studies (ICGES), Panama, and included 186 subjects, of which 84% were females (sex ratio of 5.6:1). Mestizos constituted 72% of the study group. The median age was 42.5 years (IQR: 32.0–52.0). Associated autoimmune diseases (8.1%) were myasthenia gravis, Sjögren’s syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. The most common manifestation was optic neuritis-transverse myelitis (42.5%). A relapsing course was described in 72.3% of cases. EDSS scores of 0–3.5 were reported in 57.2% of cases and higher than 7.0 in 14.5%. Positive anti-AQP4-IgG antibody occurred in 59.8% and anti-MOG-IgG antibody in 11.5% of individuals. Antibody testing was lacking for 13.4% of patients. The estimated crude prevalence of NMOSD from Panama and the Dominican Republic was 1.62/100,000 (incidence of 0.08–0.41) and 0.73/100,000 (incidence 0.02–0.14), respectively. This multinational study contributes additional insights and data on the understanding of NMOSD in this Latin American region.
- Published
- 2022
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