Prevalence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in antioquia between 2016 and 2018.

BACKGROUND: There are few epidemiological studies published in the world evaluating the prevalence of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD). The true prevalence of the disease is not known and the studies carried out are based on the diagnostic criteria used prior to 2015. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of NMOSD in Antioquia, from January 2016 to December 2018. METHODS: The prevalence of NMOSD in Antioquia was determined using the Capture-Recapture Method. Eight centers in the Department of Antioquia for the care of patients with neurological diseases were included. The data was collected between 2016 and 2018. RESULTS: A total of 221 consultation histories, 169 patients with a diagnosis of NMOSD were identified. The prevalence was 4.03 cases/100,000 inhabitants (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.3-4.8) of whom (87.5%), were women and the predominant race was Mestizo (81.6%). The most frequent initial presentation was optic neuritis (ON) (50.9%). Most of the patients had motor or visual disability (86.4%) and the treatment most used was Rituximab (47.9%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of NMOSD in Antioquia is one of the highest reported in the world, except for the French Antilles. More studies are required to know the prevalence of this disease in the Colombian population.

Anti-aquaporin-4 titer is not predictive of disease course in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a rare autoimmune disease associated with a serological antibody to aquaporin-4 (AQP4) detectable in up to 80% of patients. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is one of the most popular methods of testing for anti-AQP4 antibodies that results with a titer in which < 3 Units/ml is negative, 3-5 is borderline and 5+ is positive. The value of the positive titer in predicting long term disease course is currently unknown. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of NMOSD patients from five centers around the world: Baltimore, USA, Philadelphia, USA, Shanghai, China, Berlin, Germany, and Medellin, Columbia, where ELISA titers on anti-AQP4 antibody testing is available. Inclusion criteria include a diagnosis of NMOSD and seropositive anti-AQP4 antibody test with titer = /> 3 Units/ml. Patients were stratified into three groups by titer: 3-30 Units/ml (low), 31-100 Units/ml (medium), and 101+ Units/ml (high). Demographic factors such as age at onset, race, and sex were collected along with clinical features such as annualized relapse rate, duration of disease, location of relapses, and treatment history. RESULTS: A total of 139 NMOSD patients met criteria for inclusion in this study, stratified into three groups by titer: 42 subjects with low titers of 3-30 Units/ml, 30 subjects with medium titers of 31-100 Units/ml and 67 subjects with high titers of 101 or greater ELISA Units/ml. The average age at onset, sex and race distribution were not significantly different among the groups. The number of patients untreated in each group was similar (< 25%) as was the average annualized relapse rate (0.591-0.821 relapses/year). With an average of 10 years follow up, the average disability level was not different among the three titer groups (EDSS range 3.03-3.48). The distribution of lesions, as well as their preventive treatment regimens did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: Beyond a positive/borderline/negative result, the titer of the anti-AQP4 antibody ELISA assay is not predictive in the disease course for patients with NMOSD. Low titer patients experience the same disease course as medium-titer and high-titer anti-AQP4 antibody patients with NMOSD.

Linfoma primario del sistema nervioso central: serie de casos / Primary lymphoma of the central nervous system: case series

INTRODUCCIÓN: el linfoma primario del sistema nervioso central (LPSNC) corresponde a una causa de importante mortalidad dentro de los tumores primarios del sistema nervioso central, además existen pocos datos epidemiológicos actualmente, razón por la cual se decide hacer un reporte de casos en el grupo de neuropatología de la Universidad de Antioquia. OBJETIVO: describir el comportamiento de esta patología en un grupo de pacientes. MATERIALES Y MéTODOS: se revisaros los estudios patológicos e historias clínicas de 12 pacientes con diagnóstico de LPSNC en el servicio de neuropatología de la Universidad de Antioquia 2004 el 2011. RESUTADOS: se encontraron 12 pacientes que cumplían el criterio de inclusión. De estos pacientes el 61.5% fueron hombres y el 38.5% mujeres. La edad promedio al momento del diagnóstico fue de 42.6 años (1- 77 años). El Linfoma B no hodking de células gigantes con patrón difuso fue el tumor más frecuente con un 83.3 %, 8.35% corresponde a linfoma de células T, 8.35% a Linfoma de Burkitt; 33.3 % corresponden a pacientes inmunode-ficientes. CONCLUSIóN: en esta serie de pacientes con linfoma del sistema nervioso central se encontraron características clínicas similares a las encontradas en la literatura, quizás el único hallazgo disímil fue la mayor cantidad de pacientes sin aparente alteración en el sistema inmune.

INTRODUCTION: primary lymphoma of the central nervous system (PCNSL) is a major cause of mortality in primary tumors of the central nervous system, plus there are only a few epidemiological data today, these are the reasons why it was decided to make a report of cases in the group of neuropathology at the University of Antioquia. OBJETIVES: to describe the behavior of this disease in group of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: we reviewed the pathological studies and clinical records of 12 patients diagnosed with PCNSL in the service of neuropathology at the University of Antioquia from the years of 2004 to 2011. RESULTS: there were 12 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 61.5% were male and 38.5% women. The average age at diagnosis was 42.6 years (1 - 77 years). The giant cell, diffuse pattern B non-Hodgkin lymphoma was the most frequent tumor with 83.3%,T- cell lymphoma with 8.35%, Burkitt lymphoma 8.35%; 33.3% of the patients were immunodeficient. CONCLUSION: in this series of patients with central nervous system lymphoma similar clinical characteristics were found to those in the medical literature, perhaps the only different finding was a higher rate of patients without an apparent alteration in the immune system.