A secondary progressive clinical course is uncommon in neuromyelitis optica

Neurology. 2007 Feb 20;68(8):603-5. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000254502.87233.9a.

Abstract

We compared the clinical course of 96 patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) to multiple sclerosis (MS) natural history data. Based on the distribution of follow-up data (median 6.1 year), we estimated that 21 NMO patients would convert to a secondary progressive course, but we observed only two conversions (p = 0.00002; relative risk = 0.08). The disparate natural histories of MS and NMO suggest dissociation between relapses and clinical progression in CNS demyelinating diseases.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cohort Studies
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / epidemiology*
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / physiopathology*
  • Muscle Weakness / epidemiology
  • Muscle Weakness / physiopathology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / innervation
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology
  • Neuromyelitis Optica / epidemiology*
  • Neuromyelitis Optica / physiopathology*
  • Optic Nerve / immunology
  • Optic Nerve / pathology
  • Optic Nerve / physiopathology
  • Recurrence
  • Vision, Low / epidemiology
  • Vision, Low / physiopathology