Table_1_Blood Brain Barrier Permeability Could Be a Biomarker to Predict Severity of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders: A Retrospective Analysis.docx

<p>Background: Blood-brain barrier (BBB) pathology exists in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD). However, the clinical use of BBB permeability, such as predicting disease severity of NMOSD, has rarely been studied in a large cohort of patients.</p><p>Objectives: The current study explored the association between BBB permeability and clinical parameters in order to assess if BBB permeability could be a biomarker to predict disease severity and clinical characteristics of NMOSD.</p><p>Methods: Among 69 enrolled NMOSD patients, 47 with albumin index over 5 × 10⁻³ were assigned to the increased BBB permeability group, and the remaining 22 were to the normal BBB permeability group. Disease severity was assessed using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).</p><p>Results: Patients in the increased BBB permeability group had significantly higher EDSS scores, anti-aquporin-4 immunoglobulin G titers, more dense cerebrospinal fluid protein concentrations, white blood cell counts, myelin basic protein levels and more dense complement 3 concentrations than found in the comparative normal BBB permeability group. The albumin index was positively correlated to the length of lesions in spinal cord.</p><p>Conclusions: BBB permeability was associated with clinical features, laboratory results and radiological data of NMOSD patients, and may be a potential biomarker to predict disease severity and clinical characteristics of NMOSD.