Acquired Demyelinating Syndromes and Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis

__Abstract__ Acquired inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) cause damage to myelin sheaths and typically result in white matter lesions due to inflammation, myelin loss and axonal pathology. Clinically, this may result in transient, relapsing or progressive neurological dysfunction. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common disease within this spectrum. It typically affects adults between 20 and 40 years old. MS is generally assumed to be an autoimmune disease, of which the exact etiology remains unknown. Genetic, immunological and environmental factors each play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease.1 Several other immune-mediated demyelinating diseases of the CNS are known. These include Acquired Demyelinating Syndrome (ADS) of childhood, Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO), Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM), Transverse Myelitis (TM) and Optic Neuritis (ON).2 3 All these acquired demyelinating syndromes are rare. In general, clinicians encounter several problems when faced with rare diseases: - diagnosis is more complex or may be delayed, because a clinician rarely encounters these diseases and thus may be inexperienced with or unaware of them - the disease course and future may be hard to predict because of lack of insight into pathogenesis - treatment is often based on expert-opinion instead of large randomized controlled trials, making it difficult to establish the optimal treatment and timing of treatment - research is challenged by the low number of patients. For patients, it is more challenging to find the right information or to find fellow sufferers of the same disease.4 This thesis focuses on pediatric ADS and MS, ADEM and NMO and describes the clinical features of these diseases. The goal of these studies is to find disease-specific characteristics that will improve early and accurate diagnosis

T-cell activation marker sCD27 is associated with clinically definite multiple sclerosis in childhood-acquired demyelinating syndromes

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of T-cell activation marker soluble CD27 (sCD27) are associated with subsequent disease activity after a first attack of suspected MS in adults. The predictive value for disease course in children with acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS) is unknown. Objectives: To assess the predictive value of sCD27 levels for clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS) diagnosis in childhood ADS. Methods: Children <18 years with a first demyelinating event were prospectively included and followed. Soluble CD27 was determined in CSF using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cox regression analyses were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for CDMS. Results: A total of 94 ADS children were included (ADS with encephalopathy (ADS+) n = 33 and ADS without encephalopathy (ADS–) n = 61). Of the 61 ADS– children, 21 (48%) were diagnosed with CDMS during follow-up. At baseline, sCD27 levels were higher in patients with a future CDMS diagnosis (n = 29) than in monophasic ADS+ (n = 30), monophasic ADS– (n = 28) and relapsing non-MS patients (n = 7; p < 0.001). In ADS– patients, sCD27 was associated with CDMS (HR = 1.8 per 100 U/mL increase in sCD27 levels, p = 0.031), after adjustments for age, oligoclonal bands and the presence of dissemination in space on baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Conclusion: CSF sCD27 levels at first attack of demyelination were associated with CDMS diagnosis in children. This makes sCD27 a potential clinically relevant quantitative marker when performing routine CSF diagnostics

Incidence and outcome of acquired demyelinating syndromes in Dutch children: update of a nationwide and prospective study

Introduction: Acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS) are immune-mediated demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system in children. A nationwide, multicentre and prospective cohort study was initiated in the Netherlands in 2006, with a reported ADS incidence of 0.66/100,000 per year and MS incidence of 0.15/100,000 per year in the period between 2007 and 2010. In this study, we provide an update on the incidence and the long-term follow-up of ADS in the Netherlands. Methods: Children < 18 years with a first attack of demyelination were included consecutively from January 2006 to December 2016. Diagnoses were based on the International Paediatric MS study group consensus criteria. Outcome data were collected by neurological and neuropsychological assessments, and telephone call assessments. Results: Between 2011 and 2016, 55/165 of the ADS patients were diagnosed with MS (33%). This resulted in an increased ADS and MS incidence of 0.80/100,000 per year and 0.26/100,000 per year, respectively. Since 2006 a total of 243 ADS patients have been included. During follow-up (median 55 months, IQR 28–84), 137 patients were diagnosed with monophasic disease (56%), 89 with MS (37%) and 17 with multiphasic disease other than MS (7%). At least one form of residual deficit including cognitive impairment was observed in 69% of all ADS patients, even in monophasic ADS. An Expanded Disability Status Scale score of ≥ 5.5 was reached in 3/89 MS patients (3%). Conclusion: The reported incidence of ADS in Dutch children has increased since 2010. Residual deficits are common in this group, even in monophasic patients. Therefore, long-term follow-up in ADS patients is warranted