A comparative study of hypothalamic involvement in patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, and multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed to characterize hypothalamic involvement in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) and compare it with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed to identify hypothalamic lesions in patients diagnosed with MOGAD, NMOSD, or MS from January 2013 to May 2020. The demographic, clinical, and radiological features were recorded. Hypothalamic dysfunction and prognosis were assessed through physical examination, biochemical testing, sleep monitoring, and magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTS

Hypothalamic lesions were observed in seven of 96 patients (7.3%) with MOGAD, 34 of 536 (6.3%) with NMOSD, and 16 of 356 (4.5%) with MS (p = 0.407). The time from disease onset to development of hypothalamic lesions was shortest in MOGAD (12 months). The frequency of bilateral hypothalamic lesions was the lowest in MOGAD (p = 0.008). The rate of hypothalamic dysfunction in MOGAD was 28.6%, which was lower than that in NMOSD (70.6%) but greater than that in MS patients (18.8%; p = 0.095 and p = 0.349, respectively). Hypothalamic dysfunction in MOGAD manifests as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction and hypersomnia. The proportion of complete regression of hypothalamic lesions in MOGAD (100%) was much greater than that in NMOSD (41.7%) and MS patients (18.2%; p = 0.007 and p = 0.001, respectively). An improvement in hypothalamic dysfunction was observed in all MOGAD patients after immunotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

MOGAD patients have a relatively high incidence of asymptomatic hypothalamic lesions. The overall prognosis of patients with hypothalamic involvement is good in MOGAD, as the lesions completely resolve, and dysfunction improves after immunotherapy.