Devic’s disease is a chronic illness of nerve tissue, also known as inflammation of the optic nerve, and inflammation of the spinal cord. This is an uncommon disease. This disease is most common for loss of vision or pain in the eyes, blurred vision. There are 2 different types of this disease. The first is a classical type where one or both optic nerves are attacked of a short period of time, but then no recurrence. The second is a series of attacks over and over again but separated by periods of remission.
Cause and Diagnosis The exact cause of Devics disease is unknown. Most affected people do not have other family members with the condition. Currently there is no cure for Devics disease, but there are therapies to treat an attack while …show more content…
In the MRI of the optic nerve, that’s where the changes will show abnormality. Between MS and Devics there are some relative finding but also ones that you can tell them apart. This difference is shown in the cerebrospinal fluid. The white blood cell count might have increased more than patients with MS. There is also a cell that shows up that’s not related to MS. “A blood test known as the NMO-IgG blood test is positive in 70 percent of patients diagnosed with Devic's disease. This test, in general, is negative in patients with multiple sclerosis. This has become an important marker for Devic's disease and has helped improve our understanding of this disorder.” In the past neurmyletits was diagnosed with loss of vision, either one eye or both. This was followed by weeks of paralysis of arms or legs or both. Now they have distinguished between two different types of neuomyletits. There is optic neuritis which is not long lasting) and transverse myelitis, which can be ongoing for years. In transverse myelitis, after the initial attack, it goes over a course that’s unpredictable. Patients with …show more content…
The treatment for this disease is probably exhausting for anybody to go through but is worth fixing or helping with it also. The treatment for small or non-severe attacks are a high dose of corticosteroids. Most prescribed is methylprednisolone. There is another treatment for severe attacks. First there is removing blood and separating the blood cells form the plasma. After that the blood cells are mixed with a replacement solution and returned to the body. For the long term disease lasting years, there is no specific treatment yet or any that has been studies in controlled clinical trials. The only thing that is available are specific medications. These drugs are immunosuppressive, and are regarded by many clinicians as first line therapy. “Corticosteroids, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab are the treatments most widely prescribed treatments.” ©1996-2015 MedicineNet, Inc. Over time there is evidence that concludes that these drugs might be
Cause and Diagnosis The exact cause of Devics disease is unknown. Most affected people do not have other family members with the condition. Currently there is no cure for Devics disease, but there are therapies to treat an attack while …show more content…
In the MRI of the optic nerve, that’s where the changes will show abnormality. Between MS and Devics there are some relative finding but also ones that you can tell them apart. This difference is shown in the cerebrospinal fluid. The white blood cell count might have increased more than patients with MS. There is also a cell that shows up that’s not related to MS. “A blood test known as the NMO-IgG blood test is positive in 70 percent of patients diagnosed with Devic's disease. This test, in general, is negative in patients with multiple sclerosis. This has become an important marker for Devic's disease and has helped improve our understanding of this disorder.” In the past neurmyletits was diagnosed with loss of vision, either one eye or both. This was followed by weeks of paralysis of arms or legs or both. Now they have distinguished between two different types of neuomyletits. There is optic neuritis which is not long lasting) and transverse myelitis, which can be ongoing for years. In transverse myelitis, after the initial attack, it goes over a course that’s unpredictable. Patients with …show more content…
The treatment for this disease is probably exhausting for anybody to go through but is worth fixing or helping with it also. The treatment for small or non-severe attacks are a high dose of corticosteroids. Most prescribed is methylprednisolone. There is another treatment for severe attacks. First there is removing blood and separating the blood cells form the plasma. After that the blood cells are mixed with a replacement solution and returned to the body. For the long term disease lasting years, there is no specific treatment yet or any that has been studies in controlled clinical trials. The only thing that is available are specific medications. These drugs are immunosuppressive, and are regarded by many clinicians as first line therapy. “Corticosteroids, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab are the treatments most widely prescribed treatments.” ©1996-2015 MedicineNet, Inc. Over time there is evidence that concludes that these drugs might be