What is the best treatment for NMO?
The standard of care for an initial attack of NMO includes the following: Intravenous (into the vein) high-dose corticosteroids (methylprednisolone)…Other drugs used off-label to prevent attacks include:
- Rituxan (rituximab)
- CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil)
- Imuran, Azasan (azathioprine)
- Prednisone.
- Methotrexate.
What kind of doctor treats neuromyelitis optica?
The main doctors involved in diagnosing and treating NMO include: neurologists, who treat conditions that affect the spinal cord and brain. ophthalmologists, who specialize in conditions that affect the eyes. physical therapists,who may recommend exercises to improve your mobility, flexibility, coordination, and …
Can neuromyelitis optica be cured?
Neuromyelitis optica is a rare but serious disease that affects the central nervous system. There is no cure but there medicines and treatments may inhibit future disease flares.
How is Devic’s disease treated?
Since it is a relatively rare disease, there are no large-scale studies of treatment for Devic’s disease. Treatment for an acute attack of Devic’s usually begins with intravenous steroids followed by oral steroids. If the steroids are not effective, a treatment known as plasmapheresis is often used.
Can the NMO be reversed?
Children may experience confusion, seizures or coma with NMO. Neuromyelitis optica flare-ups may be reversible but can be severe enough to cause permanent visual loss and problems with walking.
Which is worse MS or NMO?
Symptoms of NMO are usually severe than multiple sclerosis (MS). The individual episodes in NMO are more serious compared to MS. Their cumulative effect will have debilitating, irreversible effects on nerve functions.
What causes NMO relapse?
A relapse, or an ‘attack’ of NMOSD, occurs when there is inflammation within the nervous system. In NMOSD, this inflammation is usually within the optic nerve and the spinal cord. The inflammation causes people to experience new symptoms, or recurrence of symptoms that they have had previously.
Is NMO permanent?
Most people with NMO experience more than one episode. These can occur months or years apart . Each may damage new areas of the central nervous system and cause cumulative disability. A majority of people with NMO have some form of permanent limb weakness or vision loss.
Is NMO progressive?
NMO is a relapsing-remitting disease. During a relapse, new damage to the optic nerves and/or spinal cord can lead to accumulating disability. Unlike MS, there is no progressive phase of this disease.
How common is neuromyelitis optica?
What Is Neuromyelitis Optica? Neuromyelitis optica, or NMO, is a disease that affects your eyes and spinal cord. It’s also known as Devic’s disease. It’s not very common — only about 4,000 people in the United States have it.
What is the neuromyelitis optica study group doing?
In this review, the Neuromyelitis Optica Study Group (NEMOS) summarizes recently obtained knowledge on NMO and highlights new developments in its diagnosis and treatment, based on current guidelines, the published literature and expert discussion at regular NEMOS meetings.
What are the treatment options for relapsing neuromyelitis optica?
Repeated treatment with rituximab based on the assessment of peripheral circulating memory B cells in patients with relapsing neuromyelitis optica over 2 years. Arch Neurol. 2011;68:1412–1420. doi: 10.1001/archneurol.2011.154.
What is the standard of care for optic neuritis (NMO)?
The standard of care for the treatment of an acute optic neuritis or transverse myelitis associated with NMO is high dose intravenous methylprednisolone at a daily dose of 1000 mg for at least three to five days.
What is the role of optical coherence tomography in neuromyelitis optica?
Schneider E, Zimmermann H, Oberwahrenbrock T et al (2013) Optical coherence tomography reveals distinct patterns of retinal damage in neuromyelitis optica and multiple sclerosis. PLoS One p e66151 [ PMC free article] [ PubMed]