Efficacy and safety of apheresis therapy in AQP4 antibody-positive NMOSD attack: A propensity score-matched cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Plasma exchange (PE) and immunoadsorption (IA) are recognized as effective ways to treat attacks in AQP4 antibody-positive NMOSD, but high-quality evidence was lacking. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of PE/IA plus intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) in NMOSD attacks using propensity scores to match IVMP as control. METHODS: Patients were from a prospective observational cohort study. Stratification and interval propensity score matching (PSM) were used to reduce selection bias by matching baseline characteristics (gender, age, time to IVMP, EDSS at attack) between PE/IA + IVMP and IVMP group (in a ratio of 1:2). The primary endpoint of efficacy was EDSS change at 6 months. Adverse events and changes in laboratory tests were recorded. RESULTS: Four hundred and eleven attacks of 336 patients were screened for PSM, and 90 attacks (30 PE/IA + IVMP and 60 IVMP) were included in the analysis. There were significant differences in EDSS [6.25 vs. 6.75; IQR (4.50-8.38 vs. 5.00-8.00), p = 0.671] and visual acuity [median logMAR = 0.35 vs. 1.00; IQR (0.30-0.84 vs. 0.95-1.96), p = 0.002] change between two groups at 6 months. PE/IA + IVMP treatment demonstrated predictive capacity for good recovery as indicated by an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.726. Fibrinogen reduction was found during PE/IA + IVMP treatment [n = 15 (50.00%)], but no severe adverse events led to apheresis treatment discontinuation. DISCUSSION: After PSM analysis, IVMP+PE/IA in acute attack of NMOSD achieved better and continuous improvement in neurological function within 6 months compared with IVMP alone. PE/IA treatment showed a good safety profile.

Treatment algorithms of relapsing multiple sclerosis: an exploration based on the available disease-modifying therapies in China.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) was defined as a rare disease in China due to its low prevalence. For a long time, interferon ß was the only approved disease-modifying therapy (DMT). Since the first oral DMT was approved in 2018, DMT approval accelerated, and seven DMTs were approved within 5 years. With an increasing number of DMTs being prescribed in clinical practice, it is necessary to discuss the standardized MS treatment algorithms depending on the disease activity and DMT availability. In this review paper, more than 20 Chinese experts in MS have reviewed the therapeutic progress of MS in China and worldwide and discussed algorithms for treating relapsing MS (RMS) based on the available DMTs in China, providing insights for establishing the standardized RMS treatment algorithms in this country.

Treatment algorithms of relapsing multiple sclerosis in China In this review paper, more than 20 Chinese experts in MS have reviewed the therapeutic progress of MS in China and worldwide and discussed algorithms for treating relapsing MS (RMS) based on the available DMTs in China, providing insights for establishing the standardized RMS treatment algorithms in this country: 1) CIS and RRMS account for more than 90% of the MS patients and most of them are mild to moderate; 2) MS patients should initiate DMT treatments as soon as the disease has been diagnosed in order to reduce the risk of disease progression; 3) Patients who have been diagnosed with MS should start treatment with fundamental DMTs unless the disease course has been highly active; 4) MAGNIMS score may be a suitable and simplified assessment tool for measuring treatment response to DMTs; 5) Patients treated with corticosteroids and NSIS should be switched to the standardized DMT treatment during remission in accordance with disease activity.

Cortical Microhemorrhage Presentation of Small Vessel Primary Angiitis of the Central Nervous System.

OBJECTIVE: Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare vasculitis restricted to the brain, spinal cord, and leptomeninges. This study aimed to describe the imaging characteristics of patients with small vessel PACNS (SV-PACNS) using 7 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: This ongoing prospective observational cohort study included patients who met the Calabrese and Mallek criteria and underwent 7 T MRI scan. The MRI protocol includes T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo imaging, T2 star weighted imaging, and susceptibility-weighted imaging. Two experienced readers independently reviewed the neuroimages. Clinical data were extracted from the electronic patient records. The findings were then applied to a cohort of patients with large vessel central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis. RESULTS: We included 21 patients with SV-PACNS from December 2021 to November 2023. Of these, 12 (57.14%) had cerebral cortical microhemorrhages with atrophy. The pattern with microhemorrhages was described in detail based on the gradient echo sequence, leading to the identification of what we have termed the "coral-like sign." The onset age of patients with coral-like sign (33.83 ± 9.93 years) appeared younger than that of patients without coral-like sign (42.11 ± 14.18 years) (P = 0.131). Furthermore, the cerebral lesions in patients with cortical microhemorrhagic SV-PACNS showed greater propensity toward bilateral lesions (P = 0.03). The coral-like sign was not observed in patients with large vessel CNS vasculitis. INTERPRETATION: The key characteristics of the coral-like sign represent cerebral cortical diffuse microhemorrhages with atrophy, which may be an important MRI pattern of SV-PACNS. ANN NEUROL 2024;96:194-203.

Central vein sign and trigeminal lesions of multiple sclerosis visualised by 7T MRI.

BACKGROUND: Although trigeminal nerve involvement is a characteristic of multiple sclerosis (MS), its prevalence across studies varies greatly due to MRI resolution and cohort selection bias. The mechanism behind the site specificity of trigeminal nerve injury is still unclear. We aim to determine the prevalence of trigeminal nerve involvement in patients with MS in a consecutive 7T brain MRI cohort. METHODS: This observational cohort originates from an ongoing China National Registry of Neuro-Inflammatory Diseases. Inclusion criteria were the following: age 18 years or older, diagnosis of MS according to the 2017 McDonald criteria and no clinical relapse within the preceding 3 months. Each participant underwent 7T MAGNETOM Terra scanner (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany), using a 32-channel phased array coil at Beijing Tiantan Hospital. T1-weighted magnetisation-prepared rapid acquisition gradient echoes, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and fluid and white matter suppression images were used to identify lesions. FLAIR* and T2* weighted images were used to identify central vein sign (CVS) within the trigeminal lesions. RESULTS: 120 patients underwent 7T MRI scans between December 2021 and May 2023. 19/120 (15.8%) patients had a total of 45 trigeminal lesions, of which 11/19 (57.9%) were bilateral. The linear lesions extended along the trigeminal nerve, from the root entry zone (REZ) (57.8%, 26/45) to the pontine-medullary nucleus (42.2%, 19/45). 26.9% (7/26) of the lesions in REZ showed a typical central venous sign. CONCLUSION: In this 7T MRI cohort, the prevalence of trigeminal nerve involvement was 15.8%. Characteristic CVS was detected in 26.9% of lesions in REZ. This suggests an inflammatory demyelination mechanism of trigeminal nerve involvement in MS.

APOE from patient-derived astrocytic extracellular vesicles alleviates neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in a mouse model.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune astrocytopathy of the central nervous system, mediated by antibodies against aquaporin-4 water channel protein (AQP4-Abs), resulting in damage of astrocytes with subsequent demyelination and axonal damage. Extracellular communication through astrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles (ADEVs) has received growing interest in association with astrocytopathies. However, to what extent ADEVs contribute to NMOSD pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, through proteomic screening of patient-derived ADEVs, we observed an increase in apolipoprotein E (APOE)-rich ADEVs in patients with AQP4-Abs-positive NMOSD. Intracerebral injection of the APOE-mimetic peptide APOE130-149 attenuated microglial reactivity, neuroinflammation, and brain lesions in a mouse model of NMOSD. The protective effect of APOE in NMOSD pathogenesis was further established by the exacerbated lesion volume in APOE-deficient mice, which could be rescued by exogenous APOE administration. Genetic knockdown of the APOE receptor lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) could block the restorative effects of APOE130-149 administration. The transfusion ADEVs derived from patients with NMOSD and healthy controls also alleviated astrocyte loss, reactive microgliosis, and demyelination in NMOSD mice. The slightly larger beneficial effect of patient-derived ADEVs as compared to ADEVs from healthy controls was further augmented in APOE-/- mice. These results indicate that APOE from astrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles could mediate disease-modifying astrocyte-microglia cross-talk in NMOSD.

Efficacy and safety of low- and ultralow-dose rituximab in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Rituximab effectively targets B cells and reduces relapses in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). But the ideal dosage and treatment intervals remain unanswered. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of low and ultralow-dose rituximab in NMOSD. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of NMOSD patients treated with rituximab at two Chinese tertiary hospitals. Patients received either a low-dose regimen (500 mg reinfusion every 6 months) or an ultralow-dose regimen: 100 to 300 mg rituximab based on CD19+B cells (100 mg for 1-1.5% of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, 200 mg for 1.5-5%, and 300 mg for over 5%). RESULTS: We analyzed data from 136 patients (41 in the low-dose group, 95 in the ultralow-dose group) with median follow-up durations of 43 and 34.2 months, respectively. Both groups exhibited similar sex distribution, age at disease onset, annual relapse rate, and baseline disease duration. Survival analysis showed that ultralow-dose rituximab was noninferior to low-dose rituximab in preventing relapses. Infusion reactions occurred in 20 of 173 (11.6%) low-dose treatments and 9 of 533 (1.7%) ultralow-dose treatments. B-cell re-emergence was observed in 137 of 236 (58.1%) monitors in the low-dose group and 367 of 1136 (32.3%) monitors in the ultralow-dose group. CONCLUSION: Ultralow dose rituximab was noninferior to low-dose rituximab in preventing NMOSD relapses. A randomized controlled trial is essential to validate these findings.

Independent and reproducible hippocampal radiomics biomarkers for multisite multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the abnormal radiomics features of the hippocampus in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and to explore the clinical implications of these features. METHODS: 752 participants were recruited in this retrospective multicenter study (7 centers), which included 236 MS, 236 NMOSD, and 280 normal controls (NC). Radiomics features of each side of the hippocampus were extracted, including intensity, shape, texture, and wavelet features (N = 431). To identify the variations in these features, two-sample t-tests were performed between the NMOSD vs. NC, MS vs. NC, and NMOSD vs. MS groups at each site. The statistical results from each site were then integrated through meta-analysis. To investigate the clinical significance of the hippocampal radiomics features, we conducted further analysis to examine the correlations between these features and clinical measures such as Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVMT), California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT). RESULTS: Compared with NC, patients with MS exhibited significant differences in 78 radiomics features (P < 0.05/862), with the majority of these being texture features. Patients with NMOSD showed significant differences in 137 radiomics features (P < 0.05/862), most of which were intensity features. The difference between MS and NMOSD patients was observed in 47 radiomics features (P < 0.05/862), mainly texture features. In patients with MS and NMOSD, the most significant features related to the EDSS were intensity and textural features, and the most significant features related to the PASAT were intensity features. Meanwhile, both disease groups observed a weak correlation between radiomics data and BVMT. CONCLUSION: Variations in the microstructure of the hippocampus can be detected through radiomics, offering a new approach to investigating the abnormal pattern of the hippocampus in MS and NMOSD.

White matter disease derived from vascular and demyelinating origins.

Damage or microstructural alterations of the white matter can cause dysfunction of the intrinsic neural networks in a condition termed as white matter disease (WMD). Frequently detected on brain computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans, WMD is commonly presented in inflammatory demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and vascular diseases such as cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Prevention of MS and CSVD progression requires early treatments with drastically different medications and approaches, as such, early and accurate diagnosis of WMD, derived from vascular or demyelinating etiologies, is of paramount importance. However, the clinical and imaging similarities between MS, especially during the early stage, and CSVD, pose a significant dilemma in differentiating these two conditions. In this review, we attempt to summarize and contrast the distinguishing features of MS and CSVD for aiding accurate diagnosis to ensure timely corresponding management in the early stages of MS and CSVD.

The difference of the retinal structural and microvascular characteristics in patients with MOGAD-ON and AQP4-ON.

BACKGROUND: Antibodies against myelin-oligodendrocyte-glycoprotein (MOG-Abs) associated disease (MOGAD) has been recognized as a disease entity. Optic neuritis (ON) is the most common symptom in MOGAD. To demonstrate the differences in retinal microvascular characteristics between patients with MOGAD-ON and aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab) positive ON. METHODS: In a prospective study, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) were used to measure retinal and microvascular parameters. RESULTS: Twenty-six MOGAD-ON eyes, 40 AQP4-ON eyes, and 60 control eyes were included in the study. The thickness of RNFL and GCC in MOGAD-ON eyes was significantly lower than that of HC (p < 0.001, respectively), but comparable to AQP4-ON eyes. The vessel density in retina capillary plexus (RCP) was reduced significantly in MOGAD-ON than that in AQP4-ON (p < 0.05, respectively). The visual accuracy was positively correlated with vessel density of superficial RCP in MOG-ON (p = 0.001) and positively correlated with the thickness of the inner retina layer in AQP4-ON (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The retinal neuro-axonal damages between MOGAD-ON and AQP4-ON were comparable. Unlike AQP4-ON eyes, microvascular densities were significantly reduced in MOGAD-ON and were positively correlated with the deterioration of visual acuity in MOGAD-ON. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical and Imaging Patterns of Neuroinflammation Diseases in China (CLUE, NCT: 04106830).

Clinical, imaging features and treatment response of idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis (IHP) is a rare inflammatory disease that causes focal or diffuse thickening of the dura mater. However, longitudinal follow up studies are still lacking for these patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics, neuroimaging findings, treatment response and outcome of IHP. METHOD: A retrospective case series of 30 patients admitted Beijing Tiantan Hospital were screened via Hospital Information System from January 1st, 2011, to January 31st, 2021. All patients' clinical symptoms, imaging, and treatment response were collected via a standardized form. We compared the effects of high-dose and low-dose corticosteroids on headache, impaired vision, and MRI remission during acute onset. The effects of different immunosuppressants on preventing relapses were also compared. RESULTS: Headache (93.3%) and multiple cranial neuropathy (66.7%) were the most common symptoms of IHP. Cerebral spinal fluid test showed that protein levels were elevated in 17 (56.7%) patients, and white blood cells were increased in seven patients. MRI demonstrated that diffuse (60%) and focal (40%) enhancement occurred in the dura mater, especially in the tentorium cerebellum (80%). High-dose and low-dose corticosteroids reduced headache and dural enhancement during the acute phase. The high dose corticosteroid significantly relieved the headache than the low dose group (p = 0.041). Patients treated with mycophenolate mofetil and cyclophosphamide might achieve longer remission (months, p = 0.428). CONCLUSION: Headache and multiple cranial neuropathy are the most common clinical manifestations of IHP. In this study, almost all patients had a good initial response to corticosteroid therapy during the acute phase. Mycophenolate mofetil and cyclosporine may be effective for preventing relapses.

Incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in China: A national population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is the most prevalent acute autoimmune polyneuropathy, however, the incidence of GBS across China remains undetermined. We conducted the first nationwide study to extrapolate the incidence and mortality rates of GBS across all age groups at a national scale. METHODS: This study analyzed patient metrics from the National Hospital Quality Monitoring System, a comprehensive administrative database of which incorporate all 1665 tertiary hospitals in mainland China. For all study patients the "Medical Record Homepage" encompasses 346 distinct variables such as demographic characteristics, diagnoses, procedures, expenses, etc., that are systematically recorded from these hospitals by standard protocol. All GBS diagnoses adhered to the National Institute of Neurologic and Communicative Disorders and Stroke (NINCDS) diagnostic criteria and were identified with ICD-10 code (G61•0). FINDINGS: From 2016 to 2019, 75,548 hospital admissions for 38,861 GBS patients were identified. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence per 100,000 person-years is 0·698 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0·691-0·705), 0·233(0·225-0·242) in children and 0·829(0·820-0·837) in adults. The male-to-female ratio is 1·49. Peak disease onset was detected in the 70-74 years age group with an incidence of 1·806/100, 000 (95% CI, 1·741-1·870). Recognizable GBS distribution patterns were recognized in the southeastern coastal areas, where the cases of GBS were concentrated in the summer and autumn seasons. Prevalent comorbidities include hypertension (28·8%) and stroke (14·3%). The median length of hospitalization was 13·0 (8·0-18·0) days with a median hospitalization cost of $2371·60 ($1281·80-5463·60). Covering 69·9% of study patients, the Basic Medical Insurance was the most common payment mechanism. From 2016-2019, 426 adults and 13 children died in this study pool, with a hospital mortality rate of 11·2 per 1,000 person-years. INTERPRETATION: For the first time, we obtained a national incidence for GBS at 0·233 in children and 0·829 in adults per 100,000 in China. A differential spatiotemporal incidence is presented most southeast coastal areas in the summer and autumn seasons. FUNDING: National Science Foundation of China (91949208, 91642205, and 81830038); Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing.

Thymic Involution and Altered Naive CD4 T Cell Homeostasis in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

Circulating T helper cells with a type 17-polarized phenotype (TH17) and expansion of aquaporin-4 (AQP4)-specific T cells are frequently observed in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). However, naive T cell populations, which give rise to T helper cells, and the primary site of T cell maturation, namely the thymus, have not been studied in these patients. Here, we report the alterations of naive CD4 T cell homeostasis and the changes in thymic characteristics in NMOSD patients. Flow cytometry was performed to investigate the naive CD4+ T cell subpopulations in 44 NMOSD patients and 21 healthy controls (HC). On immunological evaluation, NMOSD patients exhibited increased counts of CD31+thymic naive CD4+ T cells and CD31-cental naive CD4+ T cells along with significantly higher fraction and absolute counts of peripheral blood CD45RA+ CD62L+ naive CD4+ T cells. Chest computed tomography (CT) images of 60 NMOSD patients and 65 HCs were retrospectively reviewed to characterize the thymus in NMOSD. Thymus gland of NMOSD patients exhibited unique morphological characteristics with respect to size, shape, and density. NMOSD patients showed exacerbated age-dependent thymus involution than HC, which showed a significant association with disease duration. These findings broaden our understanding of the immunological mechanisms that drive severe disease in NMOSD.

Corrigendum to 'Incidence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) in China: A national population-based study'.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2020.100021.].

The occurrence of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies in aquaporin-4-antibody seronegative Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite inclusion in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody (MOG-Ab)-associated diseases are increasingly recognized as an independent disease entity. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to comprehensively update the rate of occurrence of MOG-Ab in Aquaporin4 (AQP4)-antibody seronegative NMOSD. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for studies reporting the rates of patients with MOG-Ab in NMOSD. Fixed or random-effects models were used to pool results across studies. RESULTS: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, MOG-Abs positive patients comprised 9.3% of all NMO/NMOSD (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.9%-10.8%, I2 = 13.1%), 32.5% of all AQP4-Ab seronegative NMO/NMOSD (95% CI 25.7%-39.3%, I2 = 45.8%), and 41.6% of AQP4-Ab seronegative NMOSD cases diagnosed by IPND 2015 criteria (95% CI 35.1%-48.2%, I2 = 0.0%). The pooled prevalence of MOG-Ab was 31.0% among Asian AQP4-Ab seronegative NMO/NMOSD patients (95% CI 22.1%-39.9% I2=54.1%) and 34.3% in European seronegative NMO/NMOSD (95% CI 21.9%-46.7%, I2 = 51.9%). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that MOG-Abs represent a substantial proportion of AQP4-Ab seronegative NMOSD patients despite different underlying mechanisms, clinical manifestations, and treatment response, suggesting MOG-Ab screening in AQP4-Ab seronegative NMOSD patients can facilitate accurate diagnoses and treatments.

Brain structural alterations in MOG antibody diseases: a comparative study with AQP4 seropositive NMOSD and MS.

BACKGROUND: Brain structural alterations and their clinical significance of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD) have not been determined. METHODS: We recruited 35 MOGAD, 38 aquaporin 4 antibody positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum diseases (AQP4+ NMOSD), 37 multiple sclerosis (MS) and 60 healthy controls (HC) who underwent multimodal brain MRI from two centres. Brain lesions, volumes of the whole brain parenchyma, cortical and subcortical grey matter (GM), brainstem, cerebellum and cerebral white matter (WM) and diffusion measures (fractional anisotropy, FA and mean diffusivity, MD) were compared among the groups. Associations between the MRI measurements and the clinical variables were assessed by partial correlations. Logistic regression was performed to differentiate MOGAD from AQP4+ NMOSD and MS. RESULTS: In MOGAD, 19 (54%) patients had lesions on MRI, with cortical/juxtacortical (68%) as the most common location. MOGAD and MS showed lower cortical and subcortical GM volumes than HC, while AQP4+ NMOSD only demonstrated a decreased cortical GM volume. MS demonstrated a lower cerebellar volume, a lower FA and an increased MD than MOGAD and HC. The subcortical GM volume was negatively correlated with Expanded Disability Status Scale in MOGAD (R=-0.51; p=0.004). A combination of MRI and clinical measures could achieve an accuracy of 85% and 93% for the classification of MOGAD versus AQP4+ NMOSD and MOGAD versus MS, respectively. CONCLUSION: MOGAD demonstrated cortical and subcortical atrophy without severe WM rarefaction. The subcortical GM volume correlated with clinical disability and a combination of MRI and clinical measures could separate MOGAD from AQP4+ NMOSD and MS.

Persistently Gadolinium-Enhancing Lesion Is a Predictor of Poor Prognosis in NMOSD Attack: a Clinical Trial.

Gadolinium (Gd)-contrast MRI for reliable detection of blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown is widely used in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) attack. Nonetheless, little is known about the predictive role of gadolinium-enhancing lesion in prognosis of NMOSD attack. The aim of this work is to investigate the predictive value of persistently Gd-enhanced lesions to medium-term outcome after attack. Data for this analysis came from an ongoing prospective cohort study (CLUE). NMOSD patients with acute attack were enrolled from January 2019 to March 2020. All patients underwent Gd-contrast MRI at baseline and 1 month, and disability was assessed by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Primary outcome was EDSS improvement from baseline to month 6. Multiple logistic regression identified predictors for poor recovery of NMOSD attack. Forty-one participants were analyzed, of which 21 patients had persistently Gd-enhancing lesions. Patients in no enhancement (NE) group showed a significant shift in 6-month EDSS distributions compared with those in persistent enhancement (PE) group (p = 0.005). Poor recovery rate of the PE group was higher than that of the NE group at 6 months (p = 0.033). In patients with aquaporin-4-positive, first-attack, transverse myelitis or in a high-dose steroid treatment subgroup, the improvement of EDSS scores in the PE group was still less compared with that in the NE group (p < 0.05). The presence of persistently Gd-enhancing lesion appears to be associated with poor recovery after attack (OR = 5.473, p = 0.014). Our study found that persistently gadolinium-enhancing lesion is a poor prognosis predictor after NMOSD attack. Trial registration ID: NCT04106830.

Cellular and molecular imaging for stem cell tracking in neurological diseases.

Stem cells (SCs) are cells with strong proliferation ability, multilineage differentiation potential and self-renewal capacity. SC transplantation represents an important therapeutic advancement for the treatment strategy of neurological diseases, both in the preclinical experimental and clinical settings. Innovative and breakthrough SC labelling and tracking technologies are widely used to monitor the distribution and viability of transplanted cells non-invasively and longitudinally. Here we summarised the research progress of the main tracers, labelling methods and imaging technologies involved in current SC tracking technologies for various neurological diseases. Finally, the applications, challenges and unresolved problems of current SC tracing technologies were discussed.

Cortical Thinning and Ventricle Enlargement in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders.

Background: In neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs), inflammation is not the sole driver of accumulation of disability; neurodegeneration is another important pathological process. We aim to explore different patterns of cortical atrophy and ventricular enlargement in NMOSD. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 230 subjects, comprising 55 healthy controls (HCs), 85 multiple sclerosis (MS), and 90 NMOSD patients from Tianjin Medical University General Hospital and Beijing Tiantan Hospital. Different compartments of the brain (total gray, cortex, subcortex gray, and ventricle volume) were evaluated with the FreeSurfer. Multiple linear regressions were adopted to explore associations between cortex volume and predict factors. Results: Compared with HCs, NMOSD, and MS displayed an enlarged lateral and third ventricle (p < 0.001), whereas expansion of the fourth ventricle was observed in MS rather than NMOSD (p = 0.321). MS and NMOSD patients exhibited cortical thinning in comparison with HCs. However, pronounced cortical atrophy were only significant in pre-cuneus, parahippocampal, and lateral occipital lobe between MS and NMOSD. Patients with NMOSD had decreased local gyrification index in orbitofrontal and pre-cuneus lobe, and reduced pial surface area. Linear regression analysis revealed cortex volume were predicated by advanced age (standardized ß = -0.404, p = 0.001) as well as prolonged disease history (standardized ß = -0.311, p = 0.006). Conclusion: NMOSD exhibited global cortex atrophy with enlarged lateral and third ventricles. Moreover, cortex volume is associated with age and disease duration.

Intravenous immunoglobulin for acute attacks in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD).

BACKGROUND: During acute attacks of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) maybe useful building on experience treating autoimmune disorders. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of several treatment modes for NMOSD attacks at Beijing Tiantan Hospital and Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. Clinical outcomes were defined as the short-term remission status. The good (GR), moderate (MR) or poor remission (PR) was respectively defined to triple-grade based on percentage change of initial and follow-up Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores. RESULTS: A total of 243 attacks was analyzed in 198 patients from 2014 to 2019. Treatment groups included 153 attacks given high-dose intravenous steroids (HD-S), 14 given IVIG, 69 episodes of IVIG plus HD-S and 7 treated with plasma exchange. The proportion of patients with better outcomes were significantly lower in IVIG alone group than HD-S alone group (p = 0.004). However, sequential treatments for IVIG and HD-S yielded a higher likelihood of clinical improvement in severe attacks with EDSS ≥ 6.5 (OR = 5.85, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: These results did not support IVIG-alone therapy as a first-line option for acute NMOSD. However, adding HD-S to IVIG therapy was superior to HD-S alone for patients with high-onset EDSS.