Neuromyelitis optica

A condition known as neuromyelitis optica (Devic s disease), which may be a variant of MS in children and yoimg adults, is characterized by a rapid bilateral loss of vision. This disease has a poorer prognosis for visual recovery than does optic neuritis. There is a transient myelitis before, during, and after the vision loss. 

Keywords EAE Gadolinium Gladramer acetate IFNp-la IFNp-lb Mitoxantrone NataUzumab Neuromyelitis optica PASAT Sclerosis... 

Current phase I/II trials in PP-MS are underw ay and include evaluation of rituximab, a synthetic antibody that binds to and induces lyses of B cells. The trial is scheduled to enroll over 430 patients for 30m and will monitor clinical outcomes as well as immunologic and MRI measures. Rationale for the trial is based on a efficacy in use with worsening Devic s disease or neuromyelitis optica (Cree et al., 2005). 

Cree BAC, Lamb S, Morgan K, Chen A, Waubant E, Gemain C (2005) An open label study of the effects of rituximab in neuromyelitis optica. Neurology 64 1270-1272. 

Wirrgerchuk DM, Weirrsherrker BG (2005) Neuromyelitis optica. Cun Treat Optiorrs Neurol 7(3) 173—182. 

A 13-year-old girl died of neuromyelitis optica. By inoculation of rabbits it was shown that the brain tissue contained Vaccinia antigen. Moreover, there were high titres against Vaccinia virus in both sera and spinal fluid. In infancy this patient had been vaccinated against smallpox (37). 

Adams JM, Brown WJ, Eberle ED, Vorlty A. Neuromyelitis optica severe demyelination occurring years after primary smallpox vaccination. Rev Roum Neurol 1973 10(3) 227-31. 

Wingerchuk, D.M. and Lucchmetti, C.F. (2007) Comparative immunopathogenesis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, neuromyelitis optica, and multiple sclerosis. Current Opinion in Neurology, 20, 343-350. 

Constantinescu CS, Miller A, De Angelis T, Matiello M, Cree BAC. Treatment of neuromyelitis optica with rituxi-mab retrospective analysis of 25 patients. Arch Neurol 2008 65(11) 1443-8. 

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