Influence of female sex and fertile age on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders

Borisow N, Kleiter I, Gahlen A, Fischer K, Wernecke KD, Pache F, Ruprecht K, Havla J, Krumbholz M, Kuempfel T, Aktas O, Ringelstein M, Geis C, Kleinschnitz C, Berthele A, Hemmer B, Angstwurm K, Weissert R, Stellmann JP, Schuster S, Stangel M, Lauda F, Tumani H, Mayer C, Zeltner L, Ziemann U, Linker R, Schwab M, Marziniak M, Bergh FT, Hofstadt-Van Oy U, Neuhaus O, Winkelmann A, Marouf W, Rueckriem L, Faiss J, Wildemann B, Paul F, Jarius S, Trebst C, Hellwig K (2017)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

Book Volume: 23

Pages Range: 1092-1103

Journal Issue: 8

DOI: 10.1177/1352458516671203

Abstract

Gender and age at onset are important epidemiological factors influencing prevalence, clinical presentation, and treatment response in autoimmune diseases.To evaluate the impact of female sex and fertile age on aquaporin-4-antibody (AQP4-ab) status, attack localization, and response to attack treatment in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and its spectrum disorders (neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)).Female-to-male ratios, diagnosis at last visit (NMO vs NMOSD), attack localization, attack treatment, and outcome were compared according to sex and age at disease or attack onset.A total of 186 NMO/SD patients (82% female) were included. In AQP4-ab-positive patients, female predominance was most pronounced during fertile age (female-to-male ratio 23:1). Female patients were more likely to be positive for AQP4-abs (92% vs 55%; p < 0.001). Interval between onset and diagnosis of NMO/SD was longer in women than in men (mean 54 vs 27 months; p = 0.023). In women, attacks occurring ?40 years of age were more likely to show complete remission ( p = 0.003) and better response to high-dose intravenous steroids ( p = 0.005) compared to woman at >40 years.Our data suggest an influence of sex and age on susceptibility to AQP4-ab-positive NMO/SD. Genetic and hormonal factors might contribute to pathophysiology of NMO/SD.

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Involved external institutions

Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) Germany (DE) Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Würzburg Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Jena Germany (DE) MediClin Hedon Klinik Germany (DE) Asklepios Kliniken Germany (DE) Klinikum Bayreuth Germany (DE) Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Germany (DE) Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf Germany (DE) Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH) / Hannover Medical School Germany (DE) Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Germany (DE) Universität Rostock Germany (DE) Universität Leipzig Germany (DE) Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) Münster Germany (DE) Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen Germany (DE) Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main Germany (DE) Universität Ulm Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Regensburg Germany (DE) Technische Universität München (TUM) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Essen Germany (DE) SRH Kreiskrankenhaus Sigmaringen Germany (DE) HELIOS Kliniken Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Borisow, N., Kleiter, I., Gahlen, A., Fischer, K., Wernecke, K.-D., Pache, F.,... Hellwig, K. (2017). Influence of female sex and fertile age on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Multiple sclerosis journal, 23(8), 1092-1103. https://doi.org/10.1177/1352458516671203

MLA:

Borisow, Nadja, et al. "Influence of female sex and fertile age on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders." Multiple sclerosis journal 23.8 (2017): 1092-1103.

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