ECTRIMS 2021 | Identifying risk factors for AQP4+ NMOSD
Our understanding of the underlying etiology of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is limited. In some cases, NMOSD appears after an infection or in association with another autoimmune condition, but the cause is usually unknown. Dalia Rotstein, MD, MPH, St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto, Toronto, shares the findings of a Canadian national case control study aiming to address this knowledge gap and determine risk factors for NMOSD. A total of 109 patients with aquaporin-4 positive (AQP4+) NMOSD completed the EnvIMS questionnaire and were matched to 319 control subjects. The study demonstrated that non-white ethnicity was strongly associated with increased risk of NMOSD. NMOSD was also positively associated with comorbid autoimmune disease. This interview took place at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) congress 2021.
Disclosures
Dr Dalia Rotstein has received research support from the MS Society of Canada, Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, and Roche Canada. She has received speaker or consultant fees from Alexion, Biogen, EMD Serono, Novartis, Roche and Sanofi Aventis.
