Epidemiology and diagnostic challenges in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in Taiwan: a hospital-based surveillance accompanied by a nationwide study.

ABSTRACT: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder is a rare autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating disease that must be differentiated from multiple sclerosis. The impact of misclassification on these patients in Taiwan remains unclear. We conducted a hospital-based retrospective cohort study of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients using the Chang Gung Research Database from 2005 to 2021. This cohort included diagnostic serostatus data from anti-Aquaporin 4 antibody testing, providing insights into incidence, demographics, annual relapse rate, and initial misclassification as multiple sclerosis. To extend these findings, we applied the same methodology to a nationwide neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder cohort (2006-2020) using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, which

SUBMITTER: Hsu JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12392899 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature