Periodicidad semestral: flujo continuo.
ISSN - Electrónico: 2661-6947 / DOI: 10.36015 • LILACS BIREME (19784); LATINDEX (20666)
INTRODUCTION. Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, an inflammatory, demyelinating disease, affects the central nervous system, common in non-Caucasian populations such as Ecuadorians. The delay in its diagnosis and treatment causes disability that can be prevented. OBJECTIVE. To determine the clinical and epidemiological profile of patients diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. MATERIALS
AND METHODS. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Population of 45 Medical Records and a sample of 41 patients with a diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder seen at the Neurology Unit of the Carlos Andrade Marín Specialties Hospital, period from January 2005 to December 2019. Univariate analysis was performed. The statistical program International Business Machines Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 25 was used. RESULTS. 76,0% (31; 41) were women. Average data: age 48,9 years; definitive diagnosis took 4,12 years from the onset of symptoms; time to diagnosis was 3,17 years; 3,7 outbreaks in total; 87,8% (36; 41) with a recurrent phenotype. The average disease duration was 6,8 years. In 70,7% (29; 41), anti-AQP4 antibodies were identified in serum by direct immunofluorescence, 51,2% required uni- or bilateral support for walking. Optic neuritis started in 43,9% (18; 41); 31,7% (13; 41) had myelitis as
the first symptom and 24,4% (10; 41) the combination of optic neuritis and myelitis were the initial symptoms. CONCLUSION. The clinical and epidemiological profile of patients diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder was determined. There was delay in the conclusive diagnosis of patients from the beginning of symptoms, which resulted in increased disability.
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