Worldwide Incidence and Prevalence of Neuromyelitis Optica: A Systematic Review

Affiliations

¹ From the Department of Neurology (V.P., Z.I.), Odense University Hospital; Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center (M.M.), Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark; Department of Neurology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology (T.B.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Menzies Health Institute Queensland (S.A.B.), Griffith University, Gold Coast; Department of Neurology (S.A.B.), Gold Coast University Hospital, Australia; Department of Neurology (P.C.), Fort-de-France University Hospital Center, Pierre Zobda Quitman Hospital, Fort-de-France, Martinique, France; Department of Neurology (A.J.), The Walton Centre, Liverpool, UK; Cleveland Clinic (A.J.), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Departments of Neurology (J.K., J.P.), Neurological Institute, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (M.I.L., J.P.), John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, UK; Service de Neurologie (R.M.), Sclérose en Plaques, Pathologies de la Myéline et Neuro-Inflammation, et Centre de Référence des Maladies Inflammatoires Rares du Cerveau et de la Moelle (MIRCEM), Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France; Department of Neurology (K.M.), Kindai University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan; Center of Neuroimmunology (A.S., M.S.), Service of Neurology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (O.S.), Karolinska University Hospital and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Clinical Research (Z.I.), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; and Institute of Molecular Medicine (Z.I.), University of Southern Denmark, Odense.
² From the Department of Neurology (V.P., Z.I.), Odense University Hospital; Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center (M.M.), Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark; Department of Neurology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology (T.B.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Menzies Health Institute Queensland (S.A.B.), Griffith University, Gold Coast; Department of Neurology (S.A.B.), Gold Coast University Hospital, Australia; Department of Neurology (P.C.), Fort-de-France University Hospital Center, Pierre Zobda Quitman Hospital, Fort-de-France, Martinique, France; Department of Neurology (A.J.), The Walton Centre, Liverpool, UK; Cleveland Clinic (A.J.), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Departments of Neurology (J.K., J.P.), Neurological Institute, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (M.I.L., J.P.), John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, UK; Service de Neurologie (R.M.), Sclérose en Plaques, Pathologies de la Myéline et Neuro-Inflammation, et Centre de Référence des Maladies Inflammatoires Rares du Cerveau et de la Moelle (MIRCEM), Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France; Department of Neurology (K.M.), Kindai University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan; Center of Neuroimmunology (A.S., M.S.), Service of Neurology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (O.S.), Karolinska University Hospital and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Clinical Research (Z.I.), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; and Institute of Molecular Medicine (Z.I.), University of Southern Denmark, Odense. zsolt.illes@rsyd.dk.

PMID: 33310876
PMCID: PMC7905781
DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000011153

Worldwide Incidence and Prevalence of Neuromyelitis Optica: A Systematic Review

Viktoria Papp et al. Neurology. 2021.

. 2021 Jan 12;96(2):59-77.

doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000011153. Epub 2020 Dec 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ From the Department of Neurology (V.P., Z.I.), Odense University Hospital; Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center (M.M.), Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark; Department of Neurology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology (T.B.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Menzies Health Institute Queensland (S.A.B.), Griffith University, Gold Coast; Department of Neurology (S.A.B.), Gold Coast University Hospital, Australia; Department of Neurology (P.C.), Fort-de-France University Hospital Center, Pierre Zobda Quitman Hospital, Fort-de-France, Martinique, France; Department of Neurology (A.J.), The Walton Centre, Liverpool, UK; Cleveland Clinic (A.J.), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Departments of Neurology (J.K., J.P.), Neurological Institute, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (M.I.L., J.P.), John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, UK; Service de Neurologie (R.M.), Sclérose en Plaques, Pathologies de la Myéline et Neuro-Inflammation, et Centre de Référence des Maladies Inflammatoires Rares du Cerveau et de la Moelle (MIRCEM), Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France; Department of Neurology (K.M.), Kindai University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan; Center of Neuroimmunology (A.S., M.S.), Service of Neurology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (O.S.), Karolinska University Hospital and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Clinical Research (Z.I.), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; and Institute of Molecular Medicine (Z.I.), University of Southern Denmark, Odense.
² From the Department of Neurology (V.P., Z.I.), Odense University Hospital; Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center (M.M.), Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark; Department of Neurology (O.A.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology (T.B.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Menzies Health Institute Queensland (S.A.B.), Griffith University, Gold Coast; Department of Neurology (S.A.B.), Gold Coast University Hospital, Australia; Department of Neurology (P.C.), Fort-de-France University Hospital Center, Pierre Zobda Quitman Hospital, Fort-de-France, Martinique, France; Department of Neurology (A.J.), The Walton Centre, Liverpool, UK; Cleveland Clinic (A.J.), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Departments of Neurology (J.K., J.P.), Neurological Institute, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (M.I.L., J.P.), John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, UK; Service de Neurologie (R.M.), Sclérose en Plaques, Pathologies de la Myéline et Neuro-Inflammation, et Centre de Référence des Maladies Inflammatoires Rares du Cerveau et de la Moelle (MIRCEM), Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France; Department of Neurology (K.M.), Kindai University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan; Center of Neuroimmunology (A.S., M.S.), Service of Neurology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (O.S.), Karolinska University Hospital and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Clinical Research (Z.I.), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; and Institute of Molecular Medicine (Z.I.), University of Southern Denmark, Odense. zsolt.illes@rsyd.dk.

PMID: 33310876
PMCID: PMC7905781
DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000011153

Abstract

Objective: Since the last epidemiologic review of neuromyelitis optica/neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMO/NMOSD), 22 additional studies have been conducted. We systematically review the worldwide prevalence, incidence, and basic demographic characteristics of NMOSD and provide a critical overview of studies.

Methods: PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Embase using Medical Subject Headings and keyword search terms and reference lists of retrieved articles were searched from 1999 until August 2019. We collected data on the country; region; methods of case assessment and aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab) test; study period; limitations; incidence (per 100,000 person-years); prevalence (per 100,000 persons); and age-, sex-, and ethnic group-specific incidence or prevalence.

Results: We identified 33 relevant articles. The results indicated the highest estimates of incidence and prevalence of NMOSD in Afro-Caribbean region (0.73/100 000 person-years [95% CI: 0.45-1.01] and 10/100 000 persons [95% CI: 6.8-13.2]). The lowest incidence and prevalence of NMOSD were found in Australia and New Zealand (0.037/100 000 person-years [95% CI: 0.036-0.038] and 0.7/100,000 persons [95% CI: 0.66-0.74]). There was prominent female predominance in adults and the AQP4-Ab-seropositive subpopulation. The incidence and prevalence peaked in middle-aged adults. African ethnicity had the highest incidence and prevalence of NMOSD, whereas White ethnicity had the lowest. No remarkable trend of incidence was described over time.

Conclusion: NMOSD is a rare disease worldwide. Variations in prevalence and incidence have been described among different geographic areas and ethnicities. These are only partially explained by different study methods and NMO/NMOSD definitions, highlighting the need for specifically designed epidemiologic studies to identify genetic effects and etiologic factors.

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References

1. Wingerchuk DM, Banwell B, Bennett JL, et al. . International consensus diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Neurology 2015;85:177–189. - PMC - PubMed
1. Lennon VA, Kryzer TJ, Pittock SJ, et al. . IgG marker of optic-spinal multiple sclerosis binds to the aquaporin-4 water channel. J Exp Med 2005;202:473–477. - PMC - PubMed
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1. Borisow N, Kleiter I, Gahlen A, et al. . Influence of female sex and fertile age on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Mult Scler 2017;23:1092–1103. - PubMed

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Worldwide Incidence and Prevalence of Neuromyelitis Optica: A Systematic Review

Affiliations

Worldwide Incidence and Prevalence of Neuromyelitis Optica: A Systematic Review

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

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References

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Medical