Audhya Xaver, Ma Jane, Castaneda Luciano
Medicine, Olive View University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Sylmar, USA.
Hospital Medicine, University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA.
Cureus. 2025 Apr 27;17(4):e83092. doi: 10.7759/cureus.83092. eCollection 2025 Apr.
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), previously neuromyelitis optica, is an autoimmune, inflammatory CNS syndrome that can present in a variety of manifestations. It is associated with serum aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G antibodies (AQP4-IgG); however, its presence is not required for the diagnosis. In this report, a rare case of NMOSD is presented in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The patient is a 21-year-old female with SLE who presented with intractable nausea, vomiting and hiccups. She underwent a thorough gastrointestinal workup that was non-revealing. A CNS workup was initiated ultimately revealing the diagnosis of NMOSD. Her symptoms resolved after initiating high-dose intravenous steroids and she was subsequently started on rituximab. In patients presenting with area postrema syndrome, in the setting of an established autoimmune disorder, clinicians should have a high clinical suspicion of NMOSD. An MRI of the brain and checking for serum AQP-4 IgG are important in making the diagnosis.
视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍(NMOSD),以前称为视神经脊髓炎,是一种自身免疫性炎症性中枢神经系统综合征,可表现为多种形式。它与血清水通道蛋白4免疫球蛋白G抗体(AQP4-IgG)相关;然而,诊断并不需要该抗体的存在。在本报告中,一名系统性红斑狼疮(SLE)患者出现了罕见的NMOSD病例。该患者是一名21岁的SLE女性,表现为顽固性恶心、呕吐和打嗝。她接受了全面的胃肠道检查,但未发现异常。最终启动了中枢神经系统检查,确诊为NMOSD。在开始使用大剂量静脉注射类固醇后,她的症状得到缓解,随后开始使用利妥昔单抗治疗。对于出现最后区综合征且已确诊自身免疫性疾病的患者,临床医生应高度怀疑NMOSD。脑部MRI检查和检测血清AQP-4 IgG对于诊断很重要。