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Two subtypes of optic-spinal form of multiple sclerosis in Japan: clinical and laboratory features

Journal of Neurology volume 254, pages 488–492 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Seventy-seven cases of the optic-spinal form of multiple sclerosis (OSMS) were collected from 6 institutes in 3 cities of Japan, and the clinical and MRI features were analyzed. Two-thirds of the OSMS patients had longitudinally extensive spinal cord MRI lesions (LESL), and had clinical features similar to those of relapsing neuromyelitis optica which often causes severe disability. In contrast, OSMS patients without LESL tended to have milder disease and had some feature commonly seen in the conventional form of MS. The percentage of OSMS without LESL in total OSMS has recently been increasing. The present study suggests that LESL is crucially important for distinguishing the two subtypes of OSMS.

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Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Neurology Tohoku, University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan

    Ichiro Nakashima MD, Isabelle Miyazawa MD, Kazuo Fujihara MD & Yasuto Itoyama MD

  2. Dept. of Neurology, Nishi Maruyama Hospital, Sapporo, Japan

    Toshiyuki Fukazawa MD

  3. Dept. of Neurology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan

    Kohei Ota MD & Takashi Ohashi MD

  4. Dept. of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Ebara Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Chiyoko Nohara MD

  5. Dept. of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Yoko Warabi MD

Authors
  1. Ichiro Nakashima MD
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  2. Toshiyuki Fukazawa MD
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  3. Kohei Ota MD
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  4. Chiyoko Nohara MD
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  5. Yoko Warabi MD
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  6. Takashi Ohashi MD
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  7. Isabelle Miyazawa MD
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  8. Kazuo Fujihara MD
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  9. Yasuto Itoyama MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ichiro Nakashima MD.

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Nakashima, I., Fukazawa, T., Ota, K. et al. Two subtypes of optic-spinal form of multiple sclerosis in Japan: clinical and laboratory features. J Neurol 254, 488–492 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0400-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0400-z

Key words

  • multiple sclerosis
  • optic spinal form
  • neuromyelitis optica
  • MRI