Evaluating Rituximab Failure Rates in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: A Nationwide Real-World Study From South Korea.

Background And Purpose: Treatments for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) such as eculizumab, ravulizumab, satralizumab, and inebilizumab have significantly advanced relapse prevention, but they remain expensive. Rituximab is an off-label yet popular alternative that offers a cost-effective solution, but its real-world efficacy needs better quantification for guiding the application of newer approved NMOSD treatments (ANTs). This study aimed to determine real-world rituximab failure rates to anticipate the demand for ANTs and aid in resource allocation.

Increased risk of ischemic stroke in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a nationwide cohort study in South Korea.

Background: We investigated the risk of ischemic stroke in ALS and analyzed the effect of ALS-related physical disability using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.

Methods: A total of 2,251 ALS patients diagnosed between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2015, and 1:10 age- and sex-matched control populations were included. Cases that participated in the national health check-up programs were selected.

Association of optic neuritis with incident depressive disorder risk in a Korean nationwide cohort.

Studies have highlighted complex bidirectional relationships between autoimmune diseases and depressive disorders. Given that early mental health interventions have substantial public health implications, this study investigated association between optic neuritis, an autoimmune inflammatory disorder of the optic nerve, and risk of developing depressive disorders. Utilizing extensive national health insurance data encompassing almost the entire Korean population, this cohort study included 11,745 patients with optic neuritis and 58,725 age- and sex- matched controls between 2010 and 2017.

First-In-Human Dose Finding Study of Venadaparib (IDX-1197), a Potent and Selective PARP Inhibitor, in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors.

Background: Venadaparib, a novel poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, has demonstrated high PARP-1/2 selectivity over other PARP family members and exhibited strong PARP-trapping activity, effectively inhibiting tumor growth in homologous recombination deficient (HRD) cancer in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: This phase 1, dose-finding study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and anticancer efficacy of venadaparib as monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors that progressed after standard-of-care therapy. The study employed a conventional 3+3 design, with doses ranging from 2 mg/d to 240 mg/d.

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease with histopathologic features of primary CNS angiitis without demyelination: Case report and literature review.

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare inflammatory disease that affects both small- and medium-sized vessels of the CNS, while myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is a novel antibody-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disorder that causes damage to the myelin in CNS. We report a case diagnosed as MOGAD due to a history of recurrent myelitis, brain lesions, and positive anti-MOG, but the brain biopsy showed vasculitis without demyelination.

Short-Term and Long-Term Risk of Diabetes Mellitus among Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: Estimating the risk of diabetes mellitus (DM) is important for the proper management of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). We investigated the short-term and long-term risks of DM among patients with SCI, according to the presence or severity of post-SCI disability and the level of injury.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service (2010-2018) database.

Heightened migraine risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A national retrospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and subsequent migraine risk using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.

Background: Migraine may be related to immune dysfunction and previous studies have suggested an association with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases; however, the relationship between RA and migraine remains unclear.

Methods: This was a population-based, nationwide, retrospective, longitudinal cohort study.

Risk of depression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A nationwide cohort study in South Korea.

Depression is frequently reported in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) due to the disastrous prognosis of progressive motor impairment, but the risk of depression in ALS is still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the risk of depression in ALS and analyzed the effect of ALS-related physical disability on the risk of developing depression using the Korean National Health Insurance Service (KNHIS) database. A total of 2241 ALS patients, as defined by the International Classification Diseases (ICD, G12.

Usefulness of the MFIS-K, FSS, and FACIT-F Fatigue Scales in Korean Patients With MS, NMOSD, and MOGAD.

Background And Purpose: Fatigue is common in demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), including multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). We aimed to validate the usefulness of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) relative to the Korean version of the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS-K) in Korean patients with MS, NMOSD, and MOGAD.

Methods: There were 294 patients with MS (=120), NMOSD (=103), or MOGAD (=71) enrolled in a prospective demyelinating CNS registry.

Immunosuppressive therapy in elderly patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: a retrospective multicentre study.

Background: The risk-benefit relationship of immunosuppressive therapies (ISTs) for elderly patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is not well established. This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of IST in elderly patients with NMOSD.

Methods: This retrospective study analysed IST efficacy and safety in 101 patients with aquaporin-4 antibody-positive NMOSD aged over 65 years, treated for at least 6 months at five Korean referral centres, focusing on relapse rates, infection events and discontinuation due to adverse outcomes.

Differentiated pattern of complement system activation between MOG-IgG-associated disease and AQP4-IgG-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

Background: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody (MOG) immunoglobulin G (IgG)-associated disease (MOGAD) has clinical and pathophysiological features that are similar to but distinct from those of aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-IgG)-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (AQP4-NMOSD). MOG-IgG and AQP4-IgG, mostly of the IgG1 subtype, can both activate the complement system. Therefore, we investigated whether the levels of serum complement components, regulators, and activation products differ between MOGAD and AQP4-NMOSD, and if complement analytes can be utilized to differentiate between these diseases.

Risk of depression and anxiety in multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A nationwide cohort study in South Korea.

Background: We investigated the risks of depression/anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) or patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (pwNMOSD).

Objectives: MS/NMOSD cohorts were collected from Korean National Health Insurance Service, using the International Classification of Diseases-10th and information on Rare Intractable Disease program. Patients who were younger than 20 years, had a previous depression/anxiety, or died in the index year were excluded.

Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine-Induced Antibody Responses in Patients with Neuroimmunological Disorders: A Real-World Experience.

This study evaluates the antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with neuroimmunological disorders (pwNID) who are receiving immunomodulating treatments, compared to healthy individuals. It included 25 pwNID with conditions such as optic neuritis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and polymyositis, as well as 56 healthy controls. All participants had completed their full SARS-CoV-2 vaccination schedule, and their blood samples were collected within six months of their last dose.

The risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A nationwide cohort study.

Background And Objectives: An association has been suggested between premorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, little is known about the risk of developing T2DM in MS and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). This study aimed to determine the T2DM risk in patients with MS and NMSOD.

Increased risk of myocardial infarction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A nationwide cohort study in South Korea.

Background: The risk of myocardial infarction (MI), the major form of CVD, in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is currently unknown. We investigated the risk of MI in ALS and analyzed the effect of ALS-related physical disability on the risk of MI using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.

Methods: A total of 659 ALS patients and 10,927 non-ALS participants were finally selected between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2015.

Changes in smoking, alcohol consumption, and the risk of Parkinson's disease.

Objective: There have been no studies on the association between changes in smoking and alcohol consumption or combined changes in smoking and alcohol consumption frequencies and PD risk. To assess the influence of changes in smoking and alcohol consumption on the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database between January 2009 to December 2011 was analyzed.

Serum neurofilament and glial fibrillary acidic protein in idiopathic and seropositive transverse myelitis.

Background: Serum levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) reflect the disease activity and disability in central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating diseases. However, the clinical significance of NfL and GFAP in idiopathic transverse myelitis (iTM), an inflammatory spinal cord disease with unknown underlying causes, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate NfL and GFAP levels in iTM and their association with the clinical parameters compared with those in TM with disease-specific antibodies such as anti-aquaporin 4 or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies (sTM).

Clinical Usefulness of a Cell-based Assay for Detecting Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibodies in Central Nervous System Inflammatory Disorders.

Background: The clinical implications of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein autoantibodies (MOG-Abs) are increasing. Establishing MOG-Ab assays is essential for effectively treating patients with MOG-Abs. We established an in-house cell-based assay (CBA) to detect MOG-Abs to identify correlations with patients' clinical characteristics.

Differentiation between multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder using a deep learning model.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are autoimmune inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) with similar characteristics. The differential diagnosis between MS and NMOSD is critical for initiating early effective therapy. In this study, we developed a deep learning model to differentiate between multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data.