Neuromyelitis Optica IgG in Childhood-Onset Demyelinating Diseases

The presence of NMO IgG, a serum antibody to aquaporin-4 (AQ4), is a sensitive marker for neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and is included in revised adult NMO diagnostic criteria. Antibodies to AQ4 are also present in a small proportion of adult patients with recurrent transverse myelitis (TM) or recurrent optic neuritis (ON). In this study, the authors determined the incidence of serum NMO IgG in 87 children with various forms of demyelinating disease.

Of nine children with relapsing NMO (median follow-up duration, 4.95 years), seven were seropositive for NMO IgG, compared with only one child in eight with monophasic NMO (median follow-up duration, 1.1 years). Of 44 children with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), none had NMO IgG. T…