title: Seronegative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients diagnosed using new diagnostic criteria.
abstract: Recently, new diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) were published.
  
  
  
  Our primary aim was to evaluate the usefulness of the new diagnostic criteria in anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody-negative cases.
  
  
  
  Consecutive 471 patients whose anti-AQP4 antibody was measured at Chiba University were reviewed.
  
  
  
  Four anti-AQP4 antibody negative-patients, who fulfilled the new diagnostic criteria for NMOSD but not 2006 diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica (NMO), were identified. They showed high cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 and glial fibrillary acidic protein levels, an absence of oligoclonal bands and/or cloud-like enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging, which are compatible findings for NMO.
  
  
  
  The new diagnostic criteria are clinically useful in seronegative NMOSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan auzawa@chiba-u.jp.
authors.forename: Akiyuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uzawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryohei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ohtani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuwabara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: C496030:AQP4 protein, human; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D001323:Autoantibodies; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands
keywords: Diagnostic criteria; glial fibrillary acidic protein; interleukin-6; neuromyelitis optica; seronegative