Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging features of multiple sclerosis with autoreactive antibodies in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan

Previous reports of multiple sclerosis (MS) with autoantibodies might include neuromyelitis optica (NMO). We investigated the frequency of autoreactive antibodies (AR) in both MS and NMO. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-associated autoantibodies such as anti-Sm antibodies, anti-single stranded DNA antibodies and lupus anticoagulants were only identified in MS, whereas SLE itself is more commonly associated with NMO. Moreover, when magnetic resonance imaging features between autoreactive antibody-positive (AR(+))MS and -negative (AR(−))MS were compared, AR(+)MS cases showed significantly fewer than 3 periventricular lesions compared to AR(−)MS cases. These results may indicate different pathogenetic mechanisms underlying AR(+)MS and AR(−)MS.