Active clinical trials for "Neuromyelitis Optica"

The Swiss-Ped-IBrainD is a national patient registry that collects information on diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, and follow-up of pediatric patients with an inflammatory brain disease in Switzerland. It was first implemented in 2020 in the pediatric clinic of the university hospital in Bern. Further centers all over Switzerland were opened for recruitment in 2021; Aarau, Basel, Bellinzona, Chur, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, St. Gallen, and Zurich. The center in Winterthur is expected to be open for recruitment by autumn 2021. The registry provides data for national and international monitoring and research. It supports research on inflammatory brain diseases in Switzerland and the exchange of knowledge between clinicians, researchers, and therapists. The registry aims to improve the treatment of children with inflammatory brain diseases and optimizing their health care and quality of life.

This is an uncontrolled, prospective, observational cohort study to assess the function of meningeal lymphatic drainage and dynamics of immune cells in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) or Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) after receiving ofatumumab treatment over an observational period of 12 months.

Determination of autoantibodies against fragments derived from neurons, glia, and myelin sheath is instrumental in aiding diagnosis, differential diagnosis, as well as determining disease status of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), autoimmune encephalitis (AE). Cell based assay (CBA) has been frequently recommended to detect autoantibodies of neuroantigens in the aforementioned neurological disorders. However, antibodies with low abundance or low affinity often fall beyond the threshold of CBA and pose significant challenges in practice. To this end, the investigators adopted a tyramide signal amplification (TSA) technology with the basis of CBA to improve sensitivity. The preliminary results suggest that this TSA-CBA platform is superior to conventional CBA in registered signals of the titer autoantibodies. In elevating the sensitivity, TSA-CBA also preserves antigen confirmation. This prospective study is launched to compare the sensitivity, specificity, clinical correlation between CBA and CBA-TSA, in determining autoantibodies against aquaporin 4 (AQP4-IgG), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG-IgG), N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR-IgG) in a multicenter, double-blind setting.

This study is being conducted to investigate risk factors for disability progression in Multiple Sclerosis and related disorders (MSRD). The primary goal is to assess whether combining information from visual assessment, blood markers, as well as historical and ongoing longitudinal MRIs of the brain, orbit (the part of the skull where eyes are located), and/or spinal cord can predict changes in quantitative disability measures related to MSRD and neurological disease.

Background: An assessment by paediatric neurologists specializing in demyelinating conditions brought attention to the rapid weight change seen among patients recently diagnosed with, and receiving therapy for, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and multiple sclerosis (MS). An overview of the current literature pinpointed weight change as a concern, and identified fatigue and fear as limiting factors for participation in physical activity, with BMI trajectories in this population significantly higher compared to healthy peers. A look at current patient data highlighted extreme NMOSD cases where some patients' weight doubled in two years. There is currently no available research that addresses weight change and management in paediatric MS or NMOSD patients, but there is research to highlight the importance of maintaining health behaviours. The aim of this research is to co-develop a comprehensive lifestyle weight management program for this cohort. Methods: Unpinned by the Medical Research Council guidance for developing complex interventions, this research will involve a fourfold approach. It will build on a previously completed systematic review, and a secondary data analysis of current clinical data regarding weight changes in these populations. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with patients, parents and clinicians in order to obtain qualitative data regarding the collective perspectives of nutrition, weight change and overall health. A list of factors will be identified and presented in a logic model. A program will then be designed, informed by previously gathered information and will be reviewed by a group of stakeholders via stakeholder meetings. This will output a program design, implementation and evaluation plan which will then be evaluated for feasibility. Recruitment, participation, implementation and adherence to the program will be tested. A patient, public involvement (PPI) approach will be taken, with a PPI panel of experts overseeing and guiding the project for its duration. Results: The results of this research will output a primary version of the lifestyle weight management program for paediatric patients with demyelinating conditions, ready for a feasibility trial.

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase Ⅱ study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Mitoxantrone Hydrochloride Liposome Injection with different doses in participants with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Participants will be randomly enrolled into three groups: Mitoxantrone Hydrochloride Liposome Injection 8 mg/m^2 group, Mitoxantrone Hydrochloride Liposome Injection 12 mg/m^2 group, and Placebo group. The primary outcome measure is time to first protocol-defined relapse.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. NMOSD is a highly relapsing, severely disabling disease. AQP4-IgG positive NMOSD is related to a specific aquaporin 4 antibody (AQP4 IgG) produced by mature B cells. BTK is a key kinase in B cell receptor signal transduction pathway. Abnormal activation of BTK related signaling pathway can lead to autoantibody production and autoimmune diseases. Therefore, BTK can be developed as a new target for autoimmune diseases.

The influence of pregnancy on the course of multiple sclerosis (MS) has long been a controversial topic. After the publication of the first large prospective study of pregnancy and MS in 1998, counselling of women with MS has radically changed and many patients have been able to fulfill their desire of motherhood. However, there are still some challenges for the neurologist, who has to face old unanswered questions or new issues, regarding the use of disease modifying drugs (DMDs) in this period of life, effects on the short and long term outcome of the mother (in terms of relapses and disability) and the child, role of breast-feeding and locoregional analgesia. To set up a national prospective pregnancy registry for patients with MS, nested within the Observatoire Français de la Sclérose en Plaque (OFSEP) cohort, owing to a better knowledge of interactions between MS and pregnancy-related issues (pregnancy itself, locoregional analgesia, breastfeeding, impact of using or stopping DMDs on women/children…)

Patients who have immune mediated diseases commonly undergo plasma exchange (PLEX) procedures to remove pathological substances, typically believed to be antibodies. At our facility about 400 of these procedures are performed annually on 40-60 different patients. These procedures are considered within the standard of care for these patients and are covered by insurance. This study will not influence the treatment plan for subjects who participate in this study. The goal of the study is to collect and cryopreserve blood biospecimens (plasma, serum, PBMCs) for current and future studies. Any patient undergoing plasma exchange procedures will be eligible for the study. Patients or the legally authorized representative (LAR) will be consented for the study as soon as feasible after the are referred to DeGowin for plasma exchange. The immediate objective of the study is to examine antibody levels (IgG/IgM) and BAFF levels in the blood of these patients over the course of the plasma exchange treatments. Specimens and clinical data will be collected such that other immune factors that may regulate B cell survival, proliferation and antibody secretion can be studied. Another goal of the study is to isolate and cryopreserve PBMCs at different points during the patient's treatment. This would allow the study of immune cells that may mediate these diseases. The study will also follow pathological antibodies over time in these patients so biospecimens can be obtained even after the completion of their course of plasma exchange treatments. The collection of biospecimens and clinical information from these subjects will help us understand the impact of plasma exchange on both normal and pathological immune factors in a variety of patients undergoing these procedures.

Central nervous system (CNS) idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating diseases (IDD) are mainly diseases caused by autoimmune factors that result in CNS demyelination damage and loss. It tends to accumulate in the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Multiple sclerosis (MS), clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) are all common IDDs of the CNS. Besides, primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS), autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein astrocytopathy (GFAP-A), etc. may also be included because they are important differential diagnoses. This study will establish a large prospective cohort study database of Chinese IDD, which will record detailed electronic information on IDD patients, including demographic and socioeconomic data, medical history, clinical information, medication, and relevant examination results. The long-term observational study will be used to understand the natural history of disease, disability progression rates, imaging and biological indicators, long-term treatment approaches and prognosis of Chinese patients with IDD, to find predictive markers for IDD progression and prognosis, and to identify factors that influence the treatment and prognosis of patients with IDD.