Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics in NMOSD patients with normal-appearing brain tissue and HCs
| NMOSD (n = 43) | HCs (n = 45) | t/Z | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (yr) | 46.47±11.14 | 44.31±9.63 | 0.972 | 0.334a |
| Gender (male/female) | 1/42 | 1/44 | – | 1.000b |
| Education level (yr) | 10.21±2.82 | 11.01±3.35 | –1.004 | 0.315c |
| Right handedness | 43 | 45 | – | |
| AQP4 antibody (positive/negative) | 39/4 | – | – | – |
| EDSS score at the time of MRI | 2.17±1.82 | – | – | – |
| Disease duration (mon) | 38.83±51.31 | – | – | – |
| DSST | 40.61±12.78 | 52.40±11.63 | –3.975 | < 0.001c |
| TMT-A | 66.86±27.46 | 44.92±13.88 | –4.03 | < 0.001c |
| TMT-B | 162.67±61.89 | 110.29±40.25 | –4.02 | < 0.001c |
Among all participants, seven patients with NMOSD failed to complete the cognitive tests including the DSST, TMT-A, and TMT-B. Data were analyzed by two-sample t-test (a), Fisher’s exact test (b), or Mann-Whitney U test (c). AQP4: Aquaporin-4; DSST: Digit Symbol Substitution Test; EDSS: Expanded Disability Status Scale; HC: healthy control; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; NMOSD: neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder; TMT-A: Trail Making Test Subscale A; TMT-B: Trail Making Test Subscale B.