Relapsing optic neuritis and isolated transverse myelitis are the predominant clinical phenotypes for patients with antibodies to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein in India

BACKGROUND: Clinical phenotypes of patients with antibodies to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (anti-MOG+) are unknown in India. OBJECTIVES: Retrospectively to characterise anti-MOG+ patients with inflammatory central nervous system disorders in India. METHOD: A total of 87 patients with non-multiple sclerosis demyelinating disorders (excluding acute disseminated encephalomyelitis) who were seronegative for anti-aquaporin 4 antibody were retrospectively analysed using a cell-based assay for anti-MOG+ status. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were anti-MOG+ in this cohort. They represented 28.7% (25/87) of patients who tested negative for anti-AQP4+. Sixty-four per cent (16/25) of anti-MOG+ patients were men and had a relapsing course. Patients with recurrent optic neuritis and those with a single attack of acute longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis were the most common phenotypes. CONCLUSION: Relapsing optic neuritis was the most common phenotype, contrasting with a lower risk of relapses in transverse myelitis.