Table 2.
MRI characteristics of NMOSD attacks requiring orotracheal intubation versus attacks not requiring orotracheal intubation
| New T2 lesion | Gadolinium enhancing lesion | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTI-attacks | Non-OTI-attacks | P-value | OTI-attacks | Non-OTI-attacks | P-value | |
| Patients with brain MRI—gadolinium injection performed during attack | 7 (87.5) | 45 (69.2) | 7 (87.5) | 39 (60.0) | ||
| Brain location | ||||||
| Medulla oblongataa | 7 (87.5) | 19 (34.5) | 0.073 | 4 (50) | 9 (16.3) | 0.029 |
| Pons | 1 (14.3) | 5 (11.1) | 0.936 | 1 (14.3) | 2 (5.1) | 0.822 |
| Midbrain | 0 (0) | 3 (6.7) | – | 0 (0) | 1 (2.6) | – |
| Diencephalon | 0 (0) | 4 (8.9) | – | 1 (14.3) | 3 (7.7) | 0.883 |
| Corpus callosum | 1 (14.3) | 2 (4.4) | 0.954 | 1 (14.3) | 2 (5.1) | 0.963 |
| Hemispheric | 2 (28.6) | 12 (26.7) | 0.986 | 1 (14.3) | 6 (15.4) | 0.936 |
| Optic nerve or chiasma | 1 (14.3) | 7 (15.6) | 0.990 | 1 (14.3) | 5 (12.8) | 0.958 |
| None | 2 (28.6) | 13 (28.9) | 0.972 | 5 (71.4) | 24 (61.5) | 0.907 |
| Patients with spinal MRI—gadolinium injection performed during attack | 8 (100) | 52 (80.0) | 7 (87.5) | 46 (70.7) | ||
| Spinal cord level | ||||||
| C1 | 6 (75) | 12 (23.1) | 0.329 | 6 (85.7) | 10 (21.7) | 0.354 |
| C2 | 6 (75) | 15 (28.8) | 0.040 | 6 (85.7) | 11 (23.9) | 0.078 |
| C3 | 6 (75) | 15 (28.8) | 0.043 | 6 (85.7) | 10 (21.7) | 0.080 |
| C4 | 6 (75) | 11 (21.2) | 0.045 | 5 (71.4) | 7 (15.2) | 0.047 |
| C5 | 5 (62.5) | 12 (23.1) | 0.035 | 5 (71.4) | 4 (8.7) | 0.037 |
| C6 | 4 (50) | 8 (15.4) | 0.594 | 4 (57.1) | 5 (10.9) | 0.041 |
| C7 | 4 (50) | 10 (19.2) | 0.652 | 3 (42.9) | 4 (8.7) | 0.623 |
| Thoracolumbar | 4 (50.0) | 22 (42.3) | 0.874 | 2 (25.0) | 14 (26.9) | 0.877 |
| None | 1 (12.5) | 10 (19.2) | 0.467 | 1 (14.3) | 17 (36.9) | 0.464 |
Results are expressed in median (interquartile range) or N (%) unless otherwise specified
OTI orotracheal intubation, MRI magnetic resonance imaging
P-value is estimated with binomial generalized linear mixed model, with a random intercept for patient ID. Due to separation issues, p-value has not been estimated for some variables
aMedulla oblongata T2 new lesion or gadolinium enhancement was assessed through radiological analysis of brain or spinal MRI