Advances on the diagnosis and treatment of aquaporin 4 antibody positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders

Abstract

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) are most common in anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody positive NMOSDs, which are characterized by recurrent episodes of optic neuritis and myelitis, etc., and severely reduce the quality of life. In recent years, new insights into the diagnostic techniques, diagonstic markers, and immunotherapy of anti - AQP4 antibody positive NMOSDs have continued to emerge, and here we focus on synthesizing new advances in the diagnostic techniques and diagonstic markers of anti-AQP4 antibody positive NMOSDs and the most recent recommendations for its treatment, in hopes of summarizing to promote the understanding and application of new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for anti-AQP4 antibody positive NMOSDs in China, and to explore more possible clinical diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Keywords

• neuromyelitis optica
• aquaporin 4
• immunotherapy
• review