The role of anti-aquaporin 4 antibody in the conversion of acute brainstem syndrome to neuromyelitis optica

BMC Neurology

Table 1 Comparison of clinical features between anti-AQP4 (+) and anti-AQP4 (-) patients with ABS

Clinical features	Anti-AQP4 (+) n = 14	Anti-AQP4 (-) n = 17	Total n = 31	P value
Female/male ratio	1:13	4:13	5:26	0.344
Age of onset (±SD) (years)	31.21 ± 8.81	30.82 ± 8.55	31.00 ± 8.52	0.902
Duration of follow-up (months)	46.35 ± 13.80	40.00 ± 11.30	44.51 ± 14.86	0.169
Number of episodes	3.71 ± 0.73	2.41 ± 1.54	3.00 ± 1.39	0.005
Annual relapse rate	1.05 ± 0.40	0.72 ± 0.40	0.87 ± 0.43	0.031
NMOSD	14/14 (100 %)	3/17 (17.65 %)	17/31 (54.84 %)	<0.001
NMO	10/14 (71.43 %)	2/17 (11.76 %)	12/31 (38.71 %)	0.001
MS	0/14 (0.00 %)	7/17 (41.17 %)	7/31 (22.58 %)	0.007
Monophasic	0/14 (0.00 %)	7/17 (41.17 %)	7/31 (22.58 %)	0.007
CSF examinations
Total protein (mg/dl, ±SD)	0.30 ± 0.10	0.25 ± 0.12	0.27 ± 0.11	0.204
Cell counts (number/μl, ±SD)	11.29 ± 4.27	8.47 ± 2.07	9.74 ± 2.21	0.07
Pleocytosis >50WBC/μl (%)	2/14	0/17	2/31	0.196
IgG index	0.68 ± 0.07	0.42 ± 0.13	0.54 ± 0.17	<0.01
Oligoclonal bands	1/14 (7.14 %)	1/17 (5.88 %)	2/31 (6.45 %)	0.708
EDSS a	3 (2–4)	3 (2–3)	3 (2–4)	0.141
EDSS b	5 (3–7)	2.5 (1.5–4.5)	3.5 (1.5–7)	<0.001

ABS acute brainstem syndrome, NMO neuromyelitis optica, NMOSD neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, MS multiple Sclerosis, ON optic neuritis, CSF cerebrospinal fluid, EDSS Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale, a, EDSS scores at the first attack; b, EDSS scores of the last visit of follow-up

ISSN: 1471-2377