[Devic's neuromyelitis optica in Morocco. A study of 9-cases].

INTRODUCTION

Optic neuromyelitis or Devic's syndrome associates optic neuritis and myelitis. It can have a monophasic or relapsing course. The limits of this entity remain controversial.

METHODS

We analyzed the results of a retrospective series of Moroccan patients with Devic's syndrome defined on the basis of Wingerchuk's criteria.

RESULTS

Six women and three men were retained for study; average age was 39 years. Three patients presented with a monophasic form and six with relapsing disease. CSF analysis was abnormal in five. Brain MRI was normal in eight. Signal abnormalities extended over more than three vertebrae in eight patients. Infections were associated with neurological features in half of the patients.

DISCUSSION: Our results are in agreement with those of large series in the literature regarding the clinical, imaging, and laboratory findings and disease course. We also noted that infections were more frequently associated with Devic's syndrome in our patients.

CONCLUSION

Our study reports the results of the first North African series of Devic's syndrome patients. We suggest that this syndrome is particular in our context due to the high frequency and diversity of associated infections.