Seronegative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients diagnosed using new diagnostic criteria.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recently, new diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) were published. OBJECTIVE: Our primary aim was to evaluate the usefulness of the new diagnostic criteria in anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody-negative cases. METHODS: Consecutive 471 patients whose anti-AQP4 antibody was measured at Chiba University were reviewed. RESULTS: Four anti-AQP4 antibody negative-patients, who fulfilled the new diagnostic criteria for NMOSD but not 2006 diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica (NMO), were identified. They showed high cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 and glial fibrillary acidic protein levels, an absence of oligoclonal bands and/or cloud-like enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging, which are compatible findings for NMO. CONCLUSION: The new diagnostic criteria are clinically useful in seronegative NMOSD.