PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Rizzo, Toni
ED  - Weinshenker, Brian
TI  - Are MS and AQP4 Positivity Mutually Exclusive?
DP  - 2012 May 01
TA  - MD Conference Express
PG  - 16--17
VI  - 12
IP  - 2
4099  - http://mdc.sagepub.com/content/12/2/16.short
4100  - http://mdc.sagepub.com/content/12/2/16.full
AB  - Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) autoantibodies are specific for neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and related spectrum disorders; the specificity exceeds 90%. NMO and multiple sclerosis (MS) share transverse myelitis and optic neuritis as typical symptom complexes, but they tend to be more severe in NMO and often are associated with longitudinally extensive lesions in the corresponding affected central nervous system structures, which are rarely found in MS. While interferon beta and natalizumab benefit MS patients, they appear to exacerbate NMO.