Table 10. Comparison of clinical and pathological features according to Cx43 expression status with NMO and MS.
|
Cx43 expression in active demyelinating lesions
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensive Cx43 loss (n = 9 cases) | Preserved Cx43 (n = 8 cases) | p value | |
| Clinical features | |||
| Age at onset, yrs | 45.77 ± 17.52 | 36.75 ± 12.84 | 0.3598 |
| Sex (male : female) | 2 : 7 | 2 : 6 | 1.0 |
| NMO : MS | 6 : 3 | 5 : 3 | 1.0 |
| Disease duration, yrs | 4.34 ± 5.93 | 7.11 ± 5.87 | 0.1019 |
| Progression index | 12.11 ± 11.80 | 1.95 ± 0.88 | 0.1019 |
| Death within two years (cases, %) | 6/9, 66.7% | 0/8, 0% | 0.0090* |
| Annualized relapse ratea | 2.17 ± 1.24 | 1.08 ± 0.67 | 0.0653 |
| Clinically estimated sites of lesionsb | |||
| Number of involved sites | 2.55 ± 0.88 | 3.12 ± 0.83 | 0.2035 |
| Total lesion number | 8.89 ± 8.43 | 8.28 ± 2.69 | 0.2823 |
| Pathologically estimated sites of lesions | |||
| Number of involved sites | 3.44 ± 1.13 | 4.12 ± 0.99 | 0.1928 |
| Total lesion number | 9.00 ± 2.00 | 7.37 ± 2.72 | 0.1439 |
| Pathological features | |||
| Distal oligodendrogliopathy (cases, %) | 5/9, 55.56% | 0/8, 0% | 0.0294* |
* Fisher’s test p < 0.05. Cx = connexin, MS = multiple sclerosis, NMO = neuromyelitis optica. a One NMOSD case died at the first attack and was excluded. b Case MS-5 was excluded because the number of clinically estimated sites of involvement was unspecified.