Serum Positivity of NMO IgG May Predict Eventual Conversion to Neuromyelitis Oprica in Patients Presenting with Isolated Atypical Optic Neuritis

Neuromyelicis aprica (NMO) is a disease characterized by severe, recurrent episodes ofmyelitis and optic neuritis (ON). Because of the attack severity and resulting disability, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of this disorder is ofparamount importance. Unfortunately, by the time the criteria are met for clinically definite NMO, the patient may already have significant disability. The diagnostic criteria for NMO have been updated to reflect the discovery of NMO IgG antibodies. These antibodies have also broadened our understanding of the clinical spectrum of NMO. ON is often the: presenting clinical event and may be very different from 'typical' demyelinating ON such as char seen in multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective ofchis study is co formulate and discuss che hypochesis that in patients with isolated, atypical ON, seropositivity of NMO IgG is predictive ofeventual conversion to clinically definite NMO.