Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMO-SD) in a Sub-Saharan Africa country: A preliminary study of sixteen Senegalese cases.
Mult Scler Relat Disord
; 27: 179-183, 2019 Jan.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30388487
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. In Sub-Saharan Africa, publications are rare and deal with isolated cases. Our goal was to analyze the characteristics of NMO spectrum disorders in a Senegalese cohort compiled in Dakar. PATIENTS ANDMETHOD:
This was a retrospective descriptive study conducted at the Neurology Department of Fann Teaching Hospital. We included all patients with NMO-SD according to the 2014 diagnostic criteria.RESULTS:
Sixteen patients were enrolled, 4 men and 12 women with an average age of 30 years. Ten patients (62.5%) presented an acute myelopathy associated with retrobulbar optic neuritis and 5 (31.25%) had isolated spinal cord injury. Spinal MRI showed abnormal cervical (6 patients), dorsal (4 patients), bulbar-cervical (3 patients) or cervico-dorsal (2 patients) signal extended (≥3 vertebral segments) of the spinal cord. Visual evoked potentials (VEP) showed demyelinating optic nerve involvement in 8 patients. Ten patients were positive to AQP-4 IgG. Systemic corticosteroid therapy was the rule in all patients, associated with azathioprine in 10 of them. The clinical course at 3 months was predominantly favourable (10 patients).CONCLUSION:
This cohort is the first one compiled in Dakar. African multicentric epidemiological studies are needed.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Neuromielitis Óptica
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Corticoesteroides
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Acuaporina 4
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Potenciales Evocados Visuales
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
País como asunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Año:
2019
Tipo del documento:
Article