Significance of Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibodies in CSF
A Retrospective Multicenter Study
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Abstract
Background and Objectives Although the diagnosis of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is based on serum MOG antibodies (MOG-Abs) positivity, patients with coexisting or restricted MOG-Abs in the CSF have been reported. The aim of this study is to characterize the relevance of CSF MOG-Abs positivity in clinical practice.
Methods Eleven medical centers retrospectively collected clinical and laboratory data of adult and pediatric patients with suspected inflammatory CNS disease and MOG-Abs positivity in serum and/or CSF using live cell-based assays. Comparisons were performed using parametric or nonparametric tests, as appropriate. Potential factors of unfavorable outcomes were explored by Cox proportional hazard models and logistic regression.
Results The cohort included 255 patients: 139 (55%) women and 132 (52%) children (i.e., <18-year-old). Among them, 145 patients (56.8%) had MOG-Abs in both serum and CSF (MOG-Abs seropositive and CSF positive), 79 (31%) only in serum (MOG-Abs seropositive and CSF negative), and 31 (12%) only in CSF (MOG-Abs seronegative and CSF positive). MOG-Abs seronegative and CSF positive predominated in adults (22% vs 3% of children), presented more commonly with motor (n = 14, 45%) and sensory symptoms (n = 13, 42%), and all but 4 (2 multiple sclerosis, 1 polyradiculoneuritis, and 1 Susac syndrome) had a final diagnosis compatible with MOGAD. When comparing seropositive patients according to MOG-Abs CSF status, MOG-Abs seropositive and CSF positive patients had a higher Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) at nadir during the index event (median 4.5, interquartile range [IQR] 3.0–7.5 vs 3.0, IQR 2.0–6.8, p = 0.007) and presented more commonly with sensory (45.5% vs 24%, p = 0.002), motor (33.6% vs 19%, p = 0.021), and sphincter symptoms (26.9% vs 7.8%, p = 0.001) than MOG-Abs seropositive and CSF negative. At the last follow-up, MOG-Abs seropositive and CSF positive cases had more often persistent sphincter dysfunction (17.3% vs 4.3%, p = 0.008). Compared with seropositive patients, those MOG-Abs seronegative and CSF positive had higher disability at the last follow-up (p ≤ 0.001), and MOG-Abs seronegative and CSF positive status were independently associated with an EDSS ≥3.0.
Discussion Paired serum and CSF MOG-Abs positivity are common in MOGAD and are associated with a more severe clinical presentation. CSF-only MOG-Abs positivity can occur in patients with a phenotype suggestive of MOGAD and is associated with a worse outcome. Taken together, these data suggest a clinical interest in assessing CSF MOG-Abs in patients with a phenotype suggestive of MOGAD, regardless of the MOG-Abs serostatus.
Glossary
- Abs=
- antibodies;
- ADEM=
- acute disseminated encephalomyelitis;
- ARR=
- annualized relapse rate;
- CBA=
- cell-based assays;
- CNS=
- central nervous system;
- CI=
- confidence interval;
- DMD=
- disease-modifying drug;
- EDSS=
- Expanded Disability Status Scale;
- IF=
- immunofluorescence;
- IQR=
- interquartile range;
- MOG=
- myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein;
- MOG-Abs=
- MOG antibodies;
- MOGAD=
- myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody associated disease;
- MS=
- multiple sclerosis;
- NMOSD=
- neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder;
- OR=
- odds ratio
Footnotes
Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.
Submitted and externally peer reviewed. The handling editor was Deputy Editor Olga Ciccarelli, MD, PhD, FRCP.
↵* S. Carta and A. Cobo Calvo equally contributed to the study as first authors.
↵† S. Mariotto and R. Marignier equally contributed to the study as senior authors.
Editorial, page 497
CME Course: NPub.org/cmelist
- Received March 27, 2022.
- Accepted in final form October 24, 2022.
- © 2022 American Academy of Neurology
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