Publications by authors named "Silvia Messina"

Background And Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is common in adults while myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is rare. Our previous machine-learning algorithm, using clinical variables, ≤6 brain lesions, and no Dawson fingers, achieved 79% accuracy, 78% sensitivity, and 80% specificity in distinguishing MOGAD from MS but lacked validation. The aim of this study was to (1) evaluate the clinical/MRI algorithm for distinguishing MS from MOGAD, (2) develop a deep learning (DL) model, (3) assess the benefit of combining both, and (4) identify key differentiators using probability attention maps (PAMs).

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Unusual seizure phenotypes in myelin-oligodendrocyte-glycoprotein (MOG) seropositive patients have previously been reported, although so far, no cases of sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE). In our case, a patient with a diagnosis of MOG antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) began reporting unusual sleep disturbances; video-audio documentation was in keeping with the clinical diagnosis of SHE. MRI brain was normal at the time of the assessment for seizures.

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The demand for female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) has significantly increased in recent years for two reasons: the advancement of surgical operations and the increased attention to women's esthetic and sexual well-being. Three authors independently analyzed different databases up to April 1, 2024. They selected the relevant data according to inclusion and exclusion criteria.

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Disruptions to brain networks, measured using structural (sMRI), diffusion (dMRI), or functional (fMRI) MRI, have been shown in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), highlighting the relevance of regions in the core of the connectome but yielding mixed results depending on the studied connectivity domain. Using a multilayer network approach, we integrated these three modalities to portray an enriched representation of the brain's core-periphery organization and explore its alterations in PwMS. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we selected PwMS and healthy controls with complete multimodal brain MRI acquisitions from 13 European centers within the MAGNIMS network.

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Background And Purpose: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is a relatively recently described disease, most commonly presenting with optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis. Cerebral cortical encephalitis is a rare manifestation of MOGAD.

Methods: We identified patients presenting with cerebral cortical encephalitis with positive MOG antibodies in serum across a large specialized service.

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Background And Objectives: Disentangling brain aging from disease-related neurodegeneration in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) is increasingly topical. The brain-age paradigm offers a window into this problem but may miss disease-specific effects. In this study, we investigated whether a disease-specific model might complement the brain-age gap (BAG) by capturing aspects unique to MS.

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Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease that is challenging to differentiate from multiple sclerosis (MS), as the clinical phenotypes overlap, and people with MOGAD can fulfil the current MRI-based diagnostic criteria for MS. In addition, the MOG antibody assays that are an essential component of MOGAD diagnosis are not standardized. Accurate diagnosis of MOGAD is crucial because the treatments and long-term prognosis differ from those for MS.

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Article Synopsis
  • Some studies suggest that attacks of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) may vary with the seasons, and up to 50% of ADEM cases have myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies.
  • This study analyzed data from the Oxford-based NMO Service database to examine potential seasonal effects on MOG antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) attacks from 2010 to 2021.
  • The findings indicated that there were no significant seasonal variations in the frequency of total or onset MOGAD attacks in the UK.
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Article Synopsis
  • This study investigates how comorbidities, especially vascular ones, affect patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and MOG-antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), potentially worsening their neurological condition.* -
  • The proposed study, called COMMIT, will involve a diverse group of patients and will analyze various biological markers related to inflammation and neurodegeneration using advanced technologies and data analysis methods.* -
  • The ultimate aim is to understand the influence of comorbidities on the clinical outcomes of these CNS diseases, potentially leading to better treatment strategies for improving patient health and quality of life.*
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Objective: To evaluate: (1) the distribution of gray matter (GM) atrophy in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4+NMOSD), and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS); and (2) the relationship between GM volumes and white matter lesions in various brain regions within each disease.

Methods: A retrospective, multicenter analysis of magnetic resonance imaging data included patients with MOGAD/AQP4+NMOSD/RRMS in non-acute disease stage. Voxel-wise analyses and general linear models were used to evaluate the relevance of regional GM atrophy.

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Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) are rare disorders often seen in highly specialized services or tertiary centres. We aimed to assess if cohort characteristics depend on the origin of the referral catchment areas serviced by our centre (i.e.

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Article Synopsis
  • Misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is a significant issue in clinical settings, prompting the need for better diagnostic tools to differentiate MS from other neurological conditions based on MRI findings.
  • A multicenter study analyzed MRI data of 1,051 participants, comparing cortical lesions (CLs) and the central vein sign (CVS) between those diagnosed with MS or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and individuals with non-MS conditions.
  • The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of CLs and CVS in diagnosing MS by calculating various performance metrics like sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, while also comparing these new markers against conventional MRI features.
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Background: The effect of smoking on the resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders with aquaporin-4 positive antibody (NMOSD-AQP4) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) has not been studied before.

Objective: We aimed to determine the effect of smoking on lesion resolution in MRI and assess its correlation with clinical recovery after a relapse.

Methods: We conducted a cohort study including NMOSD-AQP4 and MOGAD patients with acute and follow-up MRI scans.

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Objective: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) can be monophasic or relapsing, with early relapse being a feature. However, the relevance of early relapse on longer-term relapse risk is unknown. Here, we investigate whether early relapses increase longer-term relapse risk in patients with MOGAD.

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Fatigue is frequently reported by patients with multiple sclerosis, aquaporin-4-antibody neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and myelin-oligodendrocyte-glycoprotein antibody disease; thus they could share a similar pathophysiological mechanism. In this cross-sectional cohort study, we assessed the association of fatigue with resting-state functional MRI, diffusion and structural imaging measures across these three disorders. Sixteen patients with multiple sclerosis, 17 with aquaporin-4-antibody neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and 17 with myelin-oligodendrocyte-glycoprotein antibody disease assessed, outside of relapses, at the Oxford Neuromyelitis Optica Service underwent Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Expanded Disability Status Scale scoring.

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MRI and clinical features of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-antibody disease may overlap with those of other inflammatory demyelinating conditions posing diagnostic challenges, especially in non-acute phases and when serologic testing for MOG antibodies is unavailable or shows uncertain results. We aimed to identify MRI and clinical markers that differentiate non-acute MOG-antibody disease from aquaporin 4 (AQP4)-antibody neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis, guiding in the identification of patients with MOG-antibody disease in clinical practice. In this cross-sectional retrospective study, data from 16 MAGNIMS centres were included.

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Background: The "1/3″ brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) criteria including 1) a lesion adjacent to the lateral ventricle and in the inferior temporal lobe, or 2) a juxtacortical lesion, or 3) a Dawson finger-type lesion were shown to distinguish multiple sclerosis (MS) from antibody-mediated conditions. In this large multicentre study, we aimed to assess how the criteria perform 1) in different onset phenotypes, 2) distinct ethnic groups, 3) when the absence of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody (MOG-Ab)-associated disease (MOGAD)-typical fluffy infratentorial (FIT) lesions and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) lesions are added as features ("2/4″ and 3/5″ criteria, respectively).

Methods: 577 patients with MS (n = 332), aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab) neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) (n = 196) and MOGAD (n = 49) were recruited from 6 international centres (Buenos Aires, Sao Paolo, Maracaibo, Goyang, Oxford and Milan).

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Importance: Longer-term outcomes and risk factors associated with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) are not well established.

Objective: To investigate longer-term risk of relapse and factors associated with this risk among patients with MOGAD.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This large, single-nation, prospective cohort study was conducted among 276 patients with MOGAD at 5 health care centers in the UK.

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Importance: In multiple sclerosis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) new silent lesions contribute to the diagnostic criteria, have prognostic value, and are used in treatment monitoring; but in aquaporin-4 antibody neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4-NMOSD), they are rare between attacks. Their frequency and their association with relapses in adults with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD) are still unclear.

Objective: To examine the frequency and characteristics of MRI new silent lesions in MOGAD and AQP4-NMOSD.

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Objective: To describe onset clinical features predicting time to first relapse and time to long-term visual, motor and cognitive disabilities in paediatric-onset aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-IgG) neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs).

Methods: In this retrospective UK multicentre cohort study, we recorded clinical data of paediatric-onset AQP4-IgG NMOSD. Univariate and exploratory multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify long-term predictors of permanent visual disability, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 4 and cognitive impairment.

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Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) allows for the non-invasive quantification of neurochemicals and has the potential to differentiate between the pathologically distinct diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS) and AQP4Ab-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4Ab-NMOSD). In this study we characterised the metabolite profiles of brain lesions in 11 MS and 4 AQP4Ab-NMOSD patients using an optimised MRS methodology at ultra-high field strength (7T) incorporating correction for T2 water relaxation differences between lesioned and normal tissue. MS metabolite results were in keeping with the existing literature: total N-acetylaspartate (NAA) was lower in lesions compared to normal appearing brain white matter (NAWM) with reciprocal findings for myo-Inositol.

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Background: Identifying magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers in myelin-oligodendrocytes-glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder-aquaporin-4 positive (NMOSD-AQP4) and multiple sclerosis (MS) is essential for establishing objective outcome measures.

Objectives: To quantify imaging patterns of central nervous system (CNS) damage in MOGAD during the remission stage, and to compare it with NMOSD-AQP4 and MS.

Methods: 20 MOGAD, 19 NMOSD-AQP4, 18 MS in remission with brain or spinal cord involvement and 18 healthy controls (HC) were recruited.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study addresses the difficulty in differentiating antibody-negative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) from multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly in borderline cases due to the absence of clear biomarkers.
  • Researchers sought to identify distinct subgroups within the antibody-negative NMOSD/MS overlap syndrome using MRI and an unsupervised algorithm.
  • Four subgroups were identified: "MS-like," "spinal MS-like," "classic NMO-like," and "NMO-like with brain involvement," each with unique features and potential implications for tailored treatment approaches.
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Background: the role of smoking on clinical outcomes of central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory disorders is unclear. To assess the effect of smoking on relapses and disability in neuromyelitis optica with aquaporin-4-antibodies (NMOSD-AQP4-Ab), Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein-antibodies associated disease (MOGAD) and relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.

Methods: in a UK cohort of 101 NMOSD-AQP4-Ab, 70 MOGAD and 159 MS, and a Korean cohort of 97 NMOSD-AQ4-Ab, time to first relapse, annualised relapse rate, onset relapse severity and recovery, time to Expanded Disability Status Score(EDSS)/secondary progressive MS (SPMS) were compared between never-smokers and ever-smokers.

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