title: Association of anti-aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica with myasthenia gravis.
abstract: We describe 2 patients who developed anti-aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica (NMO) following the development of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive myasthenia gravis (MG). A literature review of 13 similar cases in addition to the present 2 cases of NMO with MG showed predominance among Asian women and frequent development of NMO following thymectomy for MG. Moreover, in one of our patients, serial assays of anti-aquaporin-4 antibody and anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody were performed. Accumulating evidence for the coexistence of NMO and MG suggests that a common immunopathogenesis of NMO and MG may exist, and the association of NMO with MG may be more frequent than hitherto believed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. a-uzimp1204@graduate.chiba-u.jp
authors.forename: Akiyuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uzawa
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Yuhta
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Sei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuwabara
mesh_terms: D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D044466:Asian People; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001766:Blindness / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D044469:Racial Groups; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013934:Thymectomy / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: C496030:AQP4 protein, human; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic