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.