TABLE 2.

Astrocytes in MS Plaques of Increasing Histological Age

Case	Plaque	Sex/Age	Disease Duration	Lipid Macrophages	AQP4-positive Astrocytes	GFAP-positive Astrocytes
11	11-1	F 23	5 weeks	+++	o	± Present but rare
12	12-1	F 23	30 days/60 hoursa	+++	o	± Present but rare
13	13-1	F 27	32 months	+++	o	o
3	3-2	M 25	29 days	++	±	+
3	3-3	M 25	29 days	++	±	+–++
14	14-1	F 29	12 months	++	±	+–++
13	13-2	F 27	32 months	++	+	+–++
15	15-1	F 27	49 months	++	+	+
16	16-1	M 34	3 years 11 months	++	+	+–++
17	17-1	M 43	13 years	++	+	+–++
15	15-2	F 27	49 months	±	++	++
10	10-2	M 36	3 years	±	++	++
18	18-1	M 55	“Long standing”	±	++	++
18	18-2	M55	“Long standing”	±	++	++

Cell counts in demyelinated edge zones: o, none; ±, few or none; +, small numbers; ++, moderate numbers; +++, large numbers. Case 12, the third patient in the present study with fatal neurogenic pulmonary edema, died 60 hours after the onset of a third relapse. No corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive medication received.