title: Antibodies against aquaporin-4 in neuromyelitis optica: distinction between recurrent and monophasic patients.
abstract: The detection of antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4) has improved the diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica (NMO). We evaluated a recently established cell-based anti-AQP4 assay in 273 patients with inflammatory CNS demyelination. The assay had a specificity of 99% and a sensitivity of 56% to detect all NMO patients and of 74% to detect the recurrent NMO patients, similar to the initial studies reported. AQP4 antibodies were absent in monophasic NMO patients, while samples in recurrent cases remained positive during follow-up. We conclude that the pathogenesis of monophasic NMO may be different from that of relapsing NMO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, MS Centre ErasMS, Erasmus University Medical Centre, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Immy A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Ketelslegers
authors.forename: Piet W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Modderman
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vennegoor
authors.forename: Joep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Killestein
authors.forename: Dörte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hamann
authors.forename: Rogier Q
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Hintzen
mesh_terms: D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: C496030:AQP4 protein, human; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G