title: A secondary progressive clinical course is uncommon in neuromyelitis optica.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 13400 East Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA. wingerchuk.dean@mayo.edu
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wingerchuk
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Pittock
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lucchinetti
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Lennon
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Weinshenker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012008:Recurrence; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology